Agri-OpenCore Project

Project Summary

Agri-OpenCore is an ambitious initiative aimed at revolutionizing the UK horticulture sector through advanced robotics and automation. This project addresses the critical labor shortage faced by the industry due to Brexit, COVID-19, and changing demographics, which has led to significant crop waste and economic challenges.

Objectives:

  1. Develop the world’s first open development platform for agri-robotic crop harvesting.
  2. Reduce the time and cost to develop robotic harvesting systems for various crops.
  3. Achieve human-picking-cost-parity for robotic harvesting within two years.
  4. Create an enduring legacy to accelerate the development of agri-robotic systems for all crops.
  5. Demonstrate trusted, assured, and safe operation of robotic systems in farm environments.
  6. Integrate robotics with existing farm infrastructure and human resources.

Motivation:

The UK horticulture sector, valued at £3 billion, is facing an “absolute crisis” due to labor shortages. With limited access to seasonal migrant workers, crops are going unharvested, leading to significant food waste. The industry urgently needs innovative technologies to transform labor productivity and ensure a resilient, economically efficient farming system.

Approach:

  1. Open Ecosystem: Create an open development platform using ROS2.0, allowing for private exploitation while providing core software and interfaces.
  2. Collaborative Development: Foster unprecedented cross-sector collaboration between farms, academia, and robotics companies.
  3. On-Farm Testing: Conduct extensive knowledge exchange and on-farm testing to remove barriers to robot adoption.
  4. Standardization: Work with BSI (UK’s National Standards Body) to develop standards for trusted application of agri-robots.
  5. Proof of Concept: Demonstrate the effectiveness by developing robotic systems for strawberry and tomato harvesting that achieve human-picking-cost-parity within the project timeline.

By addressing the critical challenges facing the UK horticulture sector, Agri-OpenCore aims to secure a sustainable, efficient, and resilient farming system that can adapt to future shocks and contribute to the nation’s food security.