'Wearable Agrirobot' Power Suit Helps Farm Harvest & Pruning
Katie Cordrey — April 25, 2009 — Eco
The Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology has developed an agriculture robot suit tailored to the 40% of Japan’s farm workers who are over the age of 65.
Shigeki Toyama, a professor in robotics who developed the harvesting and pruning suit, sought to make it industry and task-specific in order to generate cost savings in producing the suit.
"Anyone can use it without a drop in work efficiency," Toyama said. "I want to increase the types of work in which it can help."
Shigeki Toyama, a professor in robotics who developed the harvesting and pruning suit, sought to make it industry and task-specific in order to generate cost savings in producing the suit.
"Anyone can use it without a drop in work efficiency," Toyama said. "I want to increase the types of work in which it can help."
Trend Themes
1. Agricultural Robotics - Robotic exoskeletons are part of a growing trend towards automation in agriculture, providing opportunities for innovation in crop harvesting and more.
2. Assistive Wearable Robotics - Robotic exoskeletons can be developed to assist humans with various physical tasks, such as pruning and harvesting on farms.
3. Age-friendly Technology - The development of robotic exoskeletons to assist aging workers in physically demanding jobs highlights a trend towards age-friendly technology in the workplace.
Industry Implications
1. Agriculture - The use of robotic exoskeletons in agriculture will increase productivity and reduce physical labor, disrupting the industry by changing how crops are harvested and maintained.
2. Healthcare - Assistive wearable robotics have opportunities for disruptive innovation in the healthcare industry, particularly in rehabilitation and support for those with mobility difficulties.
3. Manufacturing - The development of cost-efficient and industry-specific robotic exoskeletons has disruptive potential in the manufacturing industry, increasing safety and productivity while reducing worker fatigue.
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