The robot is being tested on a farm in southern Ontario. The purpose is to grow and harvest lettuce locally year-round. Using artificial intelligence and cameras, the machine can detect, cut and collect lettuce heads. It can also move on its own and work for a long time without rest.
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Farmer William Roberts is part of the project. He grows lettuce indoors on the farm and says the technology can change the game. “Now there is no machine that can do that,” he said. “If we could plant it here, we could control the quality, the cost and the supply.”
Canada’s harsh winters make it difficult to outdoor lettuce year round. This is why researchers focus on robots’ indoor farming. The project is a partnership between Vineland Research and Innovation Center and technology companies specializing in robotics and automation. Also, read: Earth’s “twins” are not dead, but are very “alive”; NASA’s latest discovery explains
Lettuce is one of Canada’s most consumed vegetables, but it is also one of the most vulnerable to global supply problems. In recent years, Canadians have seen empty shelves or high prices due to crop failures and transportation issues in the United States.
The lettuce picking robot is still in its early stages, but early testing looks promising. It is accurate, gentle to plants and fast. If successful, it can reduce Canada’s reliance on imports and help build a safer local food system.
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The team hopes to bring the machine to market within a few years. Currently, they are fine-tuning the robots to work better in actual farm conditions.
