Researchers have developed a suction cup robot that can be used for picking and pruning Agaricus bis

2024-01-17

According to foreign media reports, according to Long He, an assistant professor at Pennsylvania State University, the mushroom farming industry is currently facing labor shortages. Therefore, his team began to address this issue by developing a mushroom picking robot. This electric pneumatic device is designed specifically for Agaricus bisporus mushrooms growing on shelves. It can pick mushrooms, trim the ends of mushroom stems, and then put them into a collection box.

The plan requires it to ultimately utilize a machine vision system to see and target individual mushrooms.

It is understood that true picking is achieved through an adjustable pressure suction cup, which is fixed at the top of each mushroom and then pulled upwards. Researchers experimented with different air pressures and inhalation times to obtain a combination that allows mushrooms to be picked, placed on robot pruning blades, and then placed in boxes - all without harming the flesh of the mushrooms.

As of now, in laboratory tests, the success rate of the robot in picking mushrooms has reached 94.2%, and the success rate in pruning mushroom stems has reached 97%. Researchers believe that once the suction cup form is optimized for the task, these numbers should be improved.

He said, "The mushroom industry in Pennsylvania produces two-thirds of the country's mushroom production, making it difficult for growers to find workers to handle the harvest. Thisa very labor-intensive and challenging job. The industry is facing some challenges, so automatic harvesting systems like the one we are researching will be of great help."

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