[I] The latest version of the world’s first raspberry-picking robot, known as Fieldworker 1 or Robocrop, is set to be deployed on farms across the UK, Australia, and Portugal within the next year. [II] This advanced four-armed machine leverages artificial intelligence to detect ripe berries with greater accuracy and pick them more quickly. [III]. Currently undergoing trials at berry farms in England and Portugal, the robot is expected to begin testing soon in Australia, one of the country’s largest fruit and vegetable growers. [IV]

Concern has been expressed about the fact that as many as two-fifths of strawberry and raspberry growers could go out of business by the end of 2026 due to rising operational costs and pressure from supermarkets to reduce supplier prices. This situation poses a risk of significantly disminishing the supply of fresh British berries if left unaddressed.  

Robocrop is designed to employ “superhuman vision capabilities”, allowing it to detect the spectral frequency associated with berry ripeness. The robot’s cameras identify berries, while additional cameras at the end of each arm triangulate their precise positions. It features a soft, inflatable cup that mimics human picking by grasping multiple berries simultaneously, minimizing contamination.  

As it moves along rows of bushes, the robot, close to 2m tall, can harvest between 150 to 300(more than 2kg) berries per hour – the same rate as a human picker – but can run day and night. Plans are in place to manufacture up to 24 units, with further exploitation into adaptations for other soft fruits, such as blackberries.  

However, it was cautioned that the agricultural sector is complex and that fully replacing skilled human pickers with robots is still some way off. The necessity of maintaining access to labor was emphasized until robotic technology becomes more reliable and effective in real-world conditions.