ACU OCT- 4th Draft

T E C H N O LO G Y
Robot farmers getting in-demand
Less than two years after a Japanese
company opened up the world's first
“robot farm” to fill labor shortages
created by the country's rapidly aging
population, more farming companies
across Europe and elsewhere have
adopted the same system.
The Japanese vegetable producer,
Spread, opened the robot farm in 2017
at its vast indoor farm in Kameoka,
Kyoto prefecture, reports showed. The
robots took over from humans
replanting young seedlings, watering,
trimming and harvesting crops.
The result: boosting the company's
production from 21,000 lettuces a day
to 50,000 a day without additional
overhead costs.
After successfully harvesting 6.5 tons
of spring barley without humans in the
field last year, the Hands Free Project of
Harper Adams University and Precision
Decisions, returns with a crop of winter
wheat, the team announced, with
thanks to AHDB funding.
A French asparagus grower, acquired
this year, Sparter, the world's first
selective harvesting robot, built by
Dutch startup Cerescon in close
cooperation with Dutch and German
asparagus growers.
Cerescon says Sparter can harvest
up to 3 rows in as big as 50 hectares of
land. Using ground sensors, it can
harvest asparagus right for picking
with less damage to the crop and the
sand bend.
Some lettuce growers in Europe are
also turning to robo farmers to cut
expenses on wages, benefits and
production costs while increasing their
yields.
Shopping in Dubai? Say hello to 'smart trolleys'
DUBAI: Want to shop without
pushing a heavy car t? That's
happening soon in Dubai with the
introduction of “smart trolleys”—the
AI-powered push carts that follow
customers instead of being pushed.
What's more? This tech-laden push
cart is also theft-proof with a trace and
tracking device, saving supermarkets
money from having their carts stolen.
An innovation of the Dubai
Municipality, the smart trolley was
unveiled on October 1, the opening of
the 10th edition of the World of
Perishables at the Dubai World Trade
Center.
The government says this innovative
cart system will be introduced in the
upcoming complex in Dubai's Central
Fruits and Vegetables Market in Al
Aweer. It is designed to reduce the
number of workers in the market while
improving customer satisfaction.
At the same exhibition, the Dubai Municipality also introduced its “smart table”
project which gives remote information to government inspectors on damaged
vegetables and fruits as well as info on the country of origin of the produce and its
expiry date.
The Smart Hand Device, the quickest and safest way to load and unload goods
at the market, was also launched at the same event that drew exhibitors from
around the world.