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Fieldwork Robotics completes initial field trials
Fieldwork Robotics completes initial field trials.
About this update from Frontier Ip Group Plc
[{"type":"text","content":"\n \nRNS Number : 2192A Frontier IP Group plc 28 May 2019 \n\n28 May 2019\n \nFrontier IP Group Plc\n(\"Frontier IP\" or the \"Group\")\n \n \nPortfolio news - Fieldwork Robotics completes initial field trials of raspberry harvesting robot system\n \nFrontier IP, a specialist in commercialising university intellectual property, today announces that portfolio company Fieldwork Robotics (the \"Company\" or \"Fieldwork) has completed initial field trials of its robot raspberry harvesting system. Frontier IP holds 27.5 per cent of the Company. \n \nData from the trials will be used to refine and improve the prototype system before further field trials are held later this year. If the trials are successful, then manufacturing of a commercial system is expected to begin in 2020. \n \nThe trials were held in West Sussex at a farm owned by Fieldwork's industry partner, leading UK soft-fruit grower Hall Hunter Partnership (\"Hall Hunter\"). Hall Hunter supplies Marks & Spencer, Tesco and Waitrose.\n \nThe move follows University of Plymouth spin out Fieldwork being awarded a £547,250 Innovate UK grant earlier this year towards a £671,484 project to develop a multi-armed robot prototype. Other partners include the University of Plymouth and the National Physical Laboratory. \n \nFrontier IP provides Fieldwork with support for engineering and software development, fundraising and industry partnerships. The Company was incorporated to develop and commercialise the work of Dr Martin Stoelen, Lecturer in Robotics at the University's School of Computing, Electronics and Mathematics. \n \nFieldwork is focused initially on raspberries because they are hard to pick. They are more delicate, more easily damaged than other soft fruits, and grow on bushes with complex foliage and berry distribution. Once the system is proved to work with raspberries, then it can be adapted readily for other soft fruits and vegetables.\n \nFarmers around the world are increasingly interested in robot technology to address the long-term structural decline in labour. Fieldwork is developing proof-of-concept robots for other crops following interest from leading agribusinesses. \n \nThe Innovate UK ISCF grant is one of several to be awarded to Dr Stoelen's work. A project to develop robot ...