Eternal.ag launches Harvester: a fully autonomous tomato harvesting robot

Eternal.ag, a company focused on agricultural technology, has recently launched its first commercial product, a fully autonomous tomato harvesting robot named Harvester. This innovative robot is designed specifically for truss cocktail tomatoes and aims to revolutionize the way tomatoes are harvested in greenhouses. Unlike many other robot suppliers, which often require operators to oversee the machines, Eternal.ag's Harvester operates independently, reducing the need for human intervention and lowering operational costs.

The concept of a fully autonomous harvesting robot goes beyond what most suppliers currently offer. Typically, robot suppliers require one operator for every five or six robots, which can significantly increase the financial burden on growers. Co-founder and CEO of Eternal.ag, Renji John, explained that with one robot per hectare, a 10-hectare operation would still require three shifts of two operators, totaling six people. Over six or seven years, this represents an investment of over €1 million, making it challenging for growers to justify the financial outlay for robotization.

To address this issue, Eternal.ag developed the Harvester robot, which operates autonomously throughout the greenhouse. The robot is equipped with a control system that monitors its performance remotely 24/7 and alerts a support team if any issues arise. The Harvester operates for up to 22 hours a day, with the remaining hours used for battery recharging. This continuous operation ensures that the robot can maintain a high level of productivity without interruption.

The development of the Harvester robot involved training it with an AI system. Initially, the robot was trained using simulations in virtual greenhouses. This method of development and validation allowed for rapid testing and validation across different crops and varying greenhouse conditions. After the simulation phase, the robot underwent field testing to refine its capabilities. The Harvester is now active in the Netherlands, one of the largest potential markets for such technology.

Each Harvester robot collects data that is processed by an artificial intelligence system. This AI system learns from the data and continuously improves the robot's performance. Renji John highlighted that "a robot's first working day is its worst day. After that, it only gets better." The robot's cameras are capable of detecting almost all harvestable trusses, but they skip those located at the back of the stem to avoid any risk of plant damage and maintain operational speed. As a result, the Harvester achieves an effective harvesting rate of between 80% and 90%.

The launch of the Harvester robot by Eternal.ag represents a significant step forward in the agricultural industry. By offering a fully autonomous solution that reduces the need for human operators and lowers operational costs, the company aims to make robotization more financially viable for growers. With its advanced AI system and continuous learning capabilities, the Harvester robot is poised to become a game-changer in the tomato harvesting market, particularly in regions like the Netherlands where there is a high demand for efficient and cost-effective agricultural solutions.