As global demand for fruits and vegetables continues to rise, the agricultural industry faces challenges in securing adequate labor. Robotic harvesting devices offer a promising solution to solve this issue. However, harvesting delicate fruits, notably blackberries, poses unique challenges due to their fragility. This study introduces and evaluates a prototype robotic gripper specifically designed for blackberry harvesting. The gripper features an innovative fabric tube mechanism employing motorized twisting action to gently envelop the fruit, ensuring uniform pressure application and minimizing damage. Three types of tubes were developed, varying in elasticity and compressibility using foam padding, spandex, and food-safe cotton cheesecloth. Performance testing focused on assessing each gripper's ability to detach and release blackberries, with emphasis on quantifying damage rates. Results indicate the proposed gripper achieved an 82% success rate in detaching blackberries and a 95% success rate in releasing them, showcasing the promised potential for robotic harvesting applications.

翻译：随着全球对果蔬需求的持续增长，农业产业面临劳动力短缺的挑战。机器人采摘设备为解决该问题提供了可行方案。然而，采摘黑莓等易损水果因其脆弱性而面临独特挑战。本研究介绍并评估了一种专为黑莓采摘设计的原型机器人抓手。该抓手采用创新的织物管状机构，通过电机驱动的扭转动作轻柔包裹果实，确保压力均匀分布并减少损伤。研究开发了三种不同弹性与压缩性的管状结构，分别采用泡沫垫层、氨纶和食品级棉质粗棉布。性能测试聚焦于评估各抓手摘取与释放黑莓的能力，并重点量化损伤率。结果表明，该抓手实现黑莓摘取成功率82%、释放成功率95%，展现了其在机器人采摘领域的应用潜力。