Robotics company AutoPickr has recently secured £710,000 in an early funding round to support the development of its farm-based robot, Gus. This robot, designed to pick asparagus, was created by father and daughter co-founders Robyn Sands (CEO) and Dr. David Sands (senior scientific advisor), along with COO Kyle James-Keen.
The AutoPickr technology serves as a versatile robotics platform that can be utilized in various agricultural applications. It combines reliable robotic arms, advanced computer vision AI, a state-of-the-art navigation system, all in a sturdy vehicle.
Gus is fully autonomous and comes equipped with a navigation system that uses ultra-white beacons (UWBS) to map the field. The robot can identify and pick supermarket-standard asparagus spears and place them in a tray. It has a battery life of 8-10 hours and is capable of switching batteries on location. AutoPickr has been collaborating with grower and commercial manager Scott Rumble since 2019, and they value the input and feedback of growers in the development process.
Source: cambridgeindependent.co.uk