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Adaptive Robotics & Technology Lab

ART Lab

Texas A&M University College of Engineering

Hardware Prototype and System Apparatus of an Autonomous Robotic Harvesting Cell

Neha Vemula, Dugan Um, Mahendra Bhandari, Kiju Lee

2025 22nd International Conference on Ubiquitous Robots (UR)

June 30, 2025

This paper presents a novel autonomous robotic harvesting cell designed for hydroponic plant cultivation within a compact, self-contained system. The system integrates a robotic manipulator mounted on a gantry mechanism, enabling precise and automated pruning and harvesting operations. An RGB-D camera supports real-time object detection, while a custom-designed cutter-integrated directly into the manipulator-eliminates the need for additional actuators. The hardware prototype serves as a small-scale autonomous farming unit, demonstrating the feasibility of fully automated crop management in controlled environments. As an initial application, the system incorporates vision-based detection of tomato fruits and suckers. To facilitate continued development, a simulation model was created in Unity 3D, supporting virtual prototyping, system implementation, and algorithm evaluation prior to physical deployment. By combining advanced automation with a compact, modular design, the proposed robotic harvesting cell offers a scalable solution for indoor farming, urban agriculture, and small-scale food production.

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