Cambridge-based Fieldwork Robotics has secured a £600,000 grant from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and Innovate UK to advance its berry-harvesting robots. These robots are designed to address labour shortages in agriculture by automating soft-fruit picking.
The funding will support Fieldwork’s BerryAI Project, aimed at improving the accuracy of the robots in detecting berry ripeness. Unlike previous methods that relied on human-like camera systems, the project will utilise wavelengths invisible to the human eye for enhanced precision.
Fieldwork’s founder and chief science officer, Martin Stoelen, emphasised the importance of autonomy in scaling up their technology.
Read more: Fieldwork Robotics awarded £1.1m to advance raspberry-harvesting robot
By integrating super-human vision and improved decision-making capabilities, the robots aim to become a more commercially viable option for growers globally, mitigating the challenges of seasonal labor scarcity.
On the funding, he said: “Harnessing the robot’s capacity for autonomy is key to scaling up Fieldwork’s offering.
“The combination of these two key steps in software development – super-human vision and improved autonomous decision-making – will make Fieldwork’s technology an even more commercially viable option for growers internationally, securing them against the ongoing challenges of a diminishing and inconsistent seasonal workforce.”
Already making strides since its 2016 inception, Fieldwork’s robots have enabled the sale of raspberries in major supermarkets like Waitrose, Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s.
In addition to the recent grant, Fieldwork secured £1.5m from Elbow Beach Capital and a £1.1m Innovate UK grant last year. This financial support underscores the recognition of Fieldwork’s groundbreaking work in agricultural robotics.
Concurrent with the grant, Fieldwork Robotics also announced Christopher Levine as its new chief financial officer, with him reportedly bringing valuable experience from roles at Global Counsel and startups. His appointment is meant to signal the company’s strategic financial management as Fieldwork embarks on its next phase of growth and innovation in the agricultural robotics sector.