Browsing by Author "Batsukh Tsogt"

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    Enhancing Agricultural Efficiency and Sustainability through Robotic Arm Automation
    (German Mongolian Institute for Resouce and Technology, 2024-05-10) Batsukh Tsogt; Sungchil Lee; Odbileg Norovrinchen
    With the growth of population, the needs of humanity are constantly on the rise, and agriculture in the twenty-first century is facing numerous unprecedented challenges. These include shortages in human labour, a reduction in land fertility due to climate change, and decrement in fertile land caused by urbanization. Due to its seasonal nature, it is not uncommon in the agriculture industry to have fluxations in the workforce. There is typically a specific window of time for harvesting most crops, and some delicate crops, like asparagus, strawberries, or cherries have a very short window where they’re at their peak quality for harvest. When there are not enough workers to pick up, it causes shortages in food demand, food waste, and many more. The USDA estimates post-harvest food loss, including fruits and vegetables, in the US to be around 30-40%. Labour shortages are believed to be a major contributor to this waste.[4] Addressing these challenges will necessitate a shift away from reliance on human labour. Instead, it calls for innovative methods to deliver consistent, efficient output. Automating repetitive harvesting tasks frees up human labour for higher values, such as reduced waste and labour costs and improved efficiency and product quality. Robotic arms with inbuilt cameras can detect ripeness, allowing for careful selection and minimizing damage to the fruit. They can operate 24/7, leading to faster harvests and thus reducing waste. Also, gentler handling by robots compared to manual picking can minimize bruising and blemishes, leading to higher-quality produce. The aim of this project is to design such a robotic arm, focusing on its model and structure that is best suited for agriculture.