A Cambridge-based technology firm has created a robot that is able to sort through different types of fruit and identify the difference in fruit without being told how to do so.
This robot is considered to be a major improvement on traditional robots. "Traditional robots struggle when it comes to adapting to deal with uncertainty" said Chris Roberts, head of industrial robotics at Cambridge Consultants "Our system is capable of handling objects for which no detailed computer-aided design model exists". Roberts considers this an important step to using a robot with natural objects which are not identical but have similar characteristics.
The robot fruit-picker relies on advanced machine vision and intelligent algorithms to help it identify different objects. It can then calculate the best order in which to collect them, plan how to grip them and where to put them.
The firm believes the robots can revolutionise industrial robotics and allow the technology to expand from manufacturing lines to less defined environments such as fields and farms.
