Recent Advancements in Agriculture Robots: Benefits and Challenges

Abstract

In the development of digital agriculture, agricultural robots play a unique role and confer numerous advantages in farming production. From the invention of the first industrial robots in the 1950s, robots have begun to capture the attention of both research and industry. Thanks to the recent advancements in computer science, sensing, and control approaches, agricultural robots have experienced a rapid evolution, relying on various cutting-edge technologies for different application scenarios. Indeed, significant refinements have been achieved by integrating perception, decision-making, control, and execution techniques. However, most agricultural robots continue to require intelligence solutions, limiting them to small-scale applications without quantity production because of their lack of integration with artificial intelligence. Therefore, to help researchers and engineers grasp the prevalent research status of agricultural robots, in this review we refer to more than 100 pieces of literature according to the category of agricultural robots under discussion. In this context, we bring together diverse agricultural robot research statuses and applications and discuss the benefits and challenges involved in further applications. Finally, directional indications are put forward with respect to the research trends relating to agricultural robots.

Sensor Integration in a Forestry Machine

“…In agriculture, there are field robots, robots for fruits and vegetables, and robots for animal treatment [ 13 ]. An example of a field robot is the RobHortic designed for pest inspection in horticultural crops.…”

“…An example of a field robot is the RobHortic designed for pest inspection in horticultural crops. This robot has a set of cameras for environmental detection, and a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver connected to an industrial computer [ 13 , 14 ]. As for robots for fruits and vegetables, robots like BACCHUS have been developed to replicate manual harvesting operations, operating at various levels.…”

Soft gripper for small fruits harvesting and pick and place operations

“…They must be able to operate continuously for long periods with minimal maintenance. Finally, (iv) cost is another major challenge associated with the development and deployment of agricultural robots ( Cheng et al, 2023 ). The high cost of research and development, production, and deployment of these systems can limit their adoption, especially by small farmers.…”

Designing and Implementing a Versatile Agricultural Robot: A Vehicle Manipulator System for Efficient Multitasking in Farming Operations

“…Robotic systems have assumed an increasingly significant role in modern agriculture, becoming an integral part of precision agriculture or digital farming [1,2]. These robots operate autonomously, eliminating the need for experienced operators to carry out various farming tasks [3].…”