20235118141244
Project Grant
Overview
Grant Description
Harvest automation is urgently needed to alleviate labor shortage and rising labor cost for apple and other specialty crops. Moreover, pre-sorting or removal of low-quality or defective apples at the time of harvest in orchard can help growers and packers achieve significant cost savings in postharvest storage and packing.
This standard research and extension project is therefore intended to leverage the significant progress we have made recently on robotic harvesting and in-field pre-sorting technologies to develop and transfer an automated and integrated mobile system (AIMS) for commercial harvest, in-field pre-sorting and quality recording of harvested apples. Efficient, dexterous robotic harvesting modules and a low-cost, compact pre-sorting system will be developed and integrated with a new autonomous mobile platform capable of automatic handling of pre-sorted apples. The new AIMS will be able to work under different lighting conditions during day and at night.
Extensive field tests and demonstrations of the new robotic harvester and the AIMS will be conducted in commercial orchards in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Washington. Outreach activities with growers, researchers, extension personnel, and K-12 and college students will be carried out through the project website, podcasts, videos, social media, field days, publications, etc., to broadly disseminate, and accelerate adoption of, the developed technologies.
Open-access libraries for AI models and multi-modal sensor data collected for apples will be created to promote R&D and facilitate collaboration among researchers and technology developers in robotic harvesting and quality grading technologies for apples and other specialty crops. Comprehensive economic/labor analyses will be conducted of the impact of the developed technologies and different technology adoption models and strategies on the apple industry and future labor force.
This standard research and extension project is therefore intended to leverage the significant progress we have made recently on robotic harvesting and in-field pre-sorting technologies to develop and transfer an automated and integrated mobile system (AIMS) for commercial harvest, in-field pre-sorting and quality recording of harvested apples. Efficient, dexterous robotic harvesting modules and a low-cost, compact pre-sorting system will be developed and integrated with a new autonomous mobile platform capable of automatic handling of pre-sorted apples. The new AIMS will be able to work under different lighting conditions during day and at night.
Extensive field tests and demonstrations of the new robotic harvester and the AIMS will be conducted in commercial orchards in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Washington. Outreach activities with growers, researchers, extension personnel, and K-12 and college students will be carried out through the project website, podcasts, videos, social media, field days, publications, etc., to broadly disseminate, and accelerate adoption of, the developed technologies.
Open-access libraries for AI models and multi-modal sensor data collected for apples will be created to promote R&D and facilitate collaboration among researchers and technology developers in robotic harvesting and quality grading technologies for apples and other specialty crops. Comprehensive economic/labor analyses will be conducted of the impact of the developed technologies and different technology adoption models and strategies on the apple industry and future labor force.
Awardee
Grant Program (CFDA)
Awarding / Funding Agency
Place of Performance
Peoria,
Illinois
61604-3902
United States
Geographic Scope
Single Zip Code
Related Opportunity
USDA-NIFA-SCRI-009765
Agricultural Research Service was awarded
Automated Mobile System Robotic Harvesting Pre-Sorting of Apples
Project Grant 20235118141244
worth $3,531,686
from the Institute of Food Production and Sustainability in September 2023 with work to be completed primarily in Peoria Illinois United States.
The grant
has a duration of 4 years and
was awarded through assistance program 10.309 Specialty Crop Research Initiative.
Status
(Ongoing)
Last Modified 9/21/23
Period of Performance
9/15/23
Start Date
9/14/27
End Date
Funding Split
$3.5M
Federal Obligation
$0.0
Non-Federal Obligation
$3.5M
Total Obligated
Activity Timeline
Additional Detail
Award ID FAIN
20235118141244
SAI Number
None
Award ID URI
SAI EXEMPT
Awardee Classifications
Other
Awarding Office
12348T INSTITUTE OF FOOD PROTECTION AND SUSTAINABILITY (IFPS)
Funding Office
12348T INSTITUTE OF FOOD PROTECTION AND SUSTAINABILITY (IFPS)
Awardee UEI
KB99WN8JF8K9
Awardee CAGE
3TMC3
Performance District
IL-17
Senators
Richard Durbin
Tammy Duckworth
Tammy Duckworth
Modified: 9/21/23