Design optimisation and simulation of structure parameters of an eggplant picking robot

Abstract

A fruit and vegetable picking robot is a piece of optical-mechanical-electrical equipment operating in a complex environment. Its structure and control are more difficult than with traditional industrial robots. Parameter optimisation and design of the robot framework and structure must be made according to the eggplant's growth and fruit distribution in space. The robot's working space is defined and simulated through Matlab software. The robot's working space V is 1.92 m3 and the volume index reaches 0.64. The simulation results show that a fruit and vegetable picking robot, jointed with 4 d.f., meets the requirements for eggplant picking in a greenhouse. The suitability of the structure and frame is validated by the picking experiment. © 2007 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.