Thursday, May 4, 2017

Robots invade the orchard

Robots are battling for dominance of the orchard.

Check out this fruit-picking robot under development by an Israeli company.
Details are sketchy, but a promotional video shows two listless, sweaty apple

pickers who are delighted to welcome their robotic overlord, which we are told can pick ten times as fast as humans.


Meanwhile, the sound track and the lighting changes and a robotic arm deftly harvests the apples.

The company, FFRobotics, has a rival: California-based Abundant Robotics. The California company also has a video, which promotes the concept of a vacuum apple picker.


Which robot will win the right to displace humans? Who will eat the cider donuts? What would Chris say about this?

At the end of the first video, the now-unemployable pickers sit back while one snags a crisp apple and the beat goes on. The message is clear: If you lose your job to a robot, it's okay to steal from the bosses.


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