Structural and Functional Evaluation of a Robotic Arm Developed for an Autonomous Harvesting Robot
11th ISPEC INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON CONTEMPORARY SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, Riga, Latvia, 1 - 07 July 2026, pp.9-17, (Full Text)
- Publication Type: Conference Paper / Full Text
- City: Riga
- Country: Latvia
- Page Numbers: pp.9-17
- Erciyes University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
The spread of
automation in modern agricultural practices has accelerated research into the
use of robotic systems to perform repetitive and precise tasks in crop
production. In these systems, it is not sufficient merely to detect the crop;
physically accessing it and harvesting it without causing damage is also of
great importance. For this reason, robotic arm design is one of the key factors
that directly determines the performance of harvesting robots.
This study addresses
the robotic arm structure for the autonomous harvesting robot developed by our
team, as well as the approach to its integration with the system. During the
robotic arm’s design process, appropriate mobility and access range were
ensured by considering the working conditions in greenhouse environments, plant
structure, and harvesting scenarios. The joint structure, connection elements,
and end-effector compatibility were evaluated to enable precise manipulation of
the target crop. Additionally, the data flow between the sensing and motion
control subsystems was examined to ensure the robotic arm could operate in sync
with the position data from the image processing unit. In this context, the
process of transferring the detected product’s coordinate information to the
robotic arm and generating appropriate motion commands was addressed.
The findings indicate
that the robotic arm should be considered not merely as a mechanical structure,
but as an integrated component that works in conjunction with sensing and
control systems. This approach contributes to more stable, precise operation of
harvesting robots. It is believed that this study serves as a guide for the
design and adaptation processes aimed at developing autonomous harvesting
systems suitable for use in greenhouse conditions.