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Ocado trials fruit-picking robot | Ocado trials fruit-picking robot |
(35 minutes later) | |
Online grocer Ocado has shown off a soft robotic hand that can pick fruit and vegetables, without damaging them, in its warehouses. | Online grocer Ocado has shown off a soft robotic hand that can pick fruit and vegetables, without damaging them, in its warehouses. |
The firm has an automated warehouse in Andover, Hampshire, where robots select crates containing specific items that make up customer orders. | The firm has an automated warehouse in Andover, Hampshire, where robots select crates containing specific items that make up customer orders. |
They are currently brought over to a human team for selection but, in future, the hand could replace them. | They are currently brought over to a human team for selection but, in future, the hand could replace them. |
Also in development is a humanoid maintenance robot called SecondHands. | Also in development is a humanoid maintenance robot called SecondHands. |
It will work alongside a human colleague to maintain the warehouse. | It will work alongside a human colleague to maintain the warehouse. |
The fruit and vegetable picker is part of a five-year research EU-funded collaboration between five European universities and Disney called Soma (Soft Manipulation), said Ocado spokesman Alexandru Voica. | The fruit and vegetable picker is part of a five-year research EU-funded collaboration between five European universities and Disney called Soma (Soft Manipulation), said Ocado spokesman Alexandru Voica. |
The demonstration device is an early prototype, he said. | The demonstration device is an early prototype, he said. |
"People have tried suction cups, robot hands with three fingers... What we are trying to do is to actually mimic the human hand. | "People have tried suction cups, robot hands with three fingers... What we are trying to do is to actually mimic the human hand. |
"The gripper is based on air pressure, which controls the movement of the robotic fingers. | "The gripper is based on air pressure, which controls the movement of the robotic fingers. |
"What we are trying to do is combine computer vision - being able to recognise products by looking at them - with the control aspect which is the gripping aspect." | "What we are trying to do is combine computer vision - being able to recognise products by looking at them - with the control aspect which is the gripping aspect." |
At the moment, only the gripper is being demonstrated but ultimately the robot will learn to distinguish fruit ripeness through machine learning. | At the moment, only the gripper is being demonstrated but ultimately the robot will learn to distinguish fruit ripeness through machine learning. |
It will also be able to pick other items which require different care - such as wine bottles and detergent. | It will also be able to pick other items which require different care - such as wine bottles and detergent. |
"Fruit and vegetables are the hardest to pick," said Mr Voica. | |
"When the customer gets their bag of bananas or tomatoes, if they see the product is damaged they don't care whether it's a human or a robot that's picked it." | "When the customer gets their bag of bananas or tomatoes, if they see the product is damaged they don't care whether it's a human or a robot that's picked it." |
Prof Chris Melhuish, director of the Bristol Robotics Laboratory, said that building robotic devices - or manipulators - to carry out multiple tasks is difficult. | Prof Chris Melhuish, director of the Bristol Robotics Laboratory, said that building robotic devices - or manipulators - to carry out multiple tasks is difficult. |
"A general purpose manipulator is a really tough thing to build, and certainly understanding and exploiting the way the human hand functions, because it is so flexible and adaptive, makes a lot of sense," he told the BBC. | "A general purpose manipulator is a really tough thing to build, and certainly understanding and exploiting the way the human hand functions, because it is so flexible and adaptive, makes a lot of sense," he told the BBC. |
"There are lots of groups that are looking at robotic manipulation but often it is for a specific purpose - picking up a concrete block is not the same as doing artificial suturing for example - so the tendency has been to build different types of manipulators for different domains." | "There are lots of groups that are looking at robotic manipulation but often it is for a specific purpose - picking up a concrete block is not the same as doing artificial suturing for example - so the tendency has been to build different types of manipulators for different domains." |
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