Nanovel, an Israeli AgTech startup, has unveiled an AI-powered autonomous fruit-harvesting robot capable of picking tree fruit for the fresh market. The robot offers a solution to growers worldwide dealing with farm labour shortage and rapidly increasing costs. According to a survey conducted by Western Growers organization, profitability and labour availability were ranked as the top two challenges faced by specialty crop growers.
Nanovel's fruit harvesting robot. Photos by Tal Bedrack.
Nanovel was established in 2018 by the company's CEO Isaac Mazor, a successful serial entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in technology innovation, AI, computer vision, and robotics. Mazor was the Founder and CEO of Jordan Valley Semiconductors, which was acquired by Bruker International in 2015.
"Our mission is to secure the affordability of fresh fruit through autonomous harvesting. Our goal is to deploy Nanovel's solution into major global citrus markets, particularly in the US and Southern European countries like Spain and Italy. We aim to set a new standard for fresh market harvesting, ensuring high quality and economic viability for growers," said Isaac Mazor, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Nanovel.
The Nanovel AI-powered autonomous fruit-harvesting robot is the world's first-of-its-kind system designed to pick citrus fruit for fresh market in dense foliage, representing a high level of technological complexity. The system features a multi-arm platform, which will initially be towed by a tractor. Future versions are planned to include an internal driving unit and autonomous navigation capabilities. The robot's telescopic arms are equipped with edge computing, advanced vision systems, and AI to identify, assess, and selectively pick fruit with precision that meets fresh market quality standards. In the first phase, the robot is planned to harvest oranges, with later expansion to other types of citrus and fruit.
Each arm of the robot uses a patented end-effector with a vacuum gripper to cradle the fruit and then trim the stems using cutters without damaging the fruit. The robot uses advanced edge computing to deliver real-time, AI-driven data necessary for fruit picking. This is a key component of Nanovel's technology, allowing the robot to pick fruit in dense foliage.
The California Citrus Research Board (CRB) has signed a non-dilutive funding agreement with Nanovel, which includes the delivery of a robot after a series of field trials in California, totaling $900,000, which are set to start in the spring of 2025, in cooperation with leading citrus growers.
A key benefit is its ability to significantly reduce labour costs and minimize the logistical challenges associated with hiring seasonal workers. The system can operate day and night, optimizing productivity and ensuring crops are picked at optimal times.
Nanovel will showcase the robot at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit, in London between September 30 and October.
For more information:
Amir Ben Artzi
[email protected]