The purpose of the project consists in the realization of a robot for the harvesting of hazelnuts, using a machine that works autonomously without any operator on board. It's a highly innovative technology if compared to current techniques of harvesting, manuals or by traditional mechanical means. The manual harvesting is not competitive in a market economy, while the mechanized presents serious problems of safety for operators due to dust, noise, vibration, climate and mechanical hazards. The automated solution will ensure the total elimination of risks and allow important economic returns, by increasing the quality of the product mainly due to the timeliness of the harvesting. The expected product consists of a robot which operates the harvesting of hazelnuts in total autonomy, moving along the hazel and storing the nuts in special containers; the robot is integrated with systems for traceability and planning the harvesting procedures. World hazelnuts production exceeds 900.000 t with a turnover of approximately USD 2 billion so the commercial potential of innovation affects all the world and represents a technological solution currently non-existent. The potential users are the hazelnuts producers and their associations, which need to improve the harvesting process and operators working conditions, in addition to solving the problem of finding skilled labor. Coryl Robot wants to meet all of these needs, in addition to provide the total traceability of the final product and to ensuring the use of renewable energy sources. In Phase 1 a detailed feasibility study will be carried out related to technical and economic challenges associated with the implementation of innovation (market analysis, cost-benefit analysis for machinery manufacturers and for hazelnuts producers as a whole). In Phase 2 the project intends to accomplish and test the Coryl Robot prototype in order to evaluate different technological solutions, involving a research institution and some end users.
Robot for automatic and autonomous harvest of hazelnuts (Coryl Robot Project Phase 1)
Danilo Rabino
2014
Abstract
The purpose of the project consists in the realization of a robot for the harvesting of hazelnuts, using a machine that works autonomously without any operator on board. It's a highly innovative technology if compared to current techniques of harvesting, manuals or by traditional mechanical means. The manual harvesting is not competitive in a market economy, while the mechanized presents serious problems of safety for operators due to dust, noise, vibration, climate and mechanical hazards. The automated solution will ensure the total elimination of risks and allow important economic returns, by increasing the quality of the product mainly due to the timeliness of the harvesting. The expected product consists of a robot which operates the harvesting of hazelnuts in total autonomy, moving along the hazel and storing the nuts in special containers; the robot is integrated with systems for traceability and planning the harvesting procedures. World hazelnuts production exceeds 900.000 t with a turnover of approximately USD 2 billion so the commercial potential of innovation affects all the world and represents a technological solution currently non-existent. The potential users are the hazelnuts producers and their associations, which need to improve the harvesting process and operators working conditions, in addition to solving the problem of finding skilled labor. Coryl Robot wants to meet all of these needs, in addition to provide the total traceability of the final product and to ensuring the use of renewable energy sources. In Phase 1 a detailed feasibility study will be carried out related to technical and economic challenges associated with the implementation of innovation (market analysis, cost-benefit analysis for machinery manufacturers and for hazelnuts producers as a whole). In Phase 2 the project intends to accomplish and test the Coryl Robot prototype in order to evaluate different technological solutions, involving a research institution and some end users.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
