Indian robot climbs trees to harvest coconuts
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Indian robot climbs trees to harvest coconuts
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Re: Indian robot climbs trees to harvest coconuts
#2I'd doubt this will end the exploitation of the slave monkeys that are forced to pick coconuts. They're likely cheaper than a robot. For this reason, I don't buy coconut products from Thailand.
https://investigations.peta.org/monkeys-abused-coconut-milk/
Re: Indian robot climbs trees to harvest coconuts
#3I'd doubt this will end the exploitation of the slave monkeys that are forced to pick coconuts. They're likely cheaper than a robot. For this reason, I don't buy coconut products from Thailand. https://investigations.peta.org/monkeys-abused-coconut-milk/
The idea is pretty neat imo. Its a simple mechanism. Over the long term I suspect it may even be cheaper to use the robot cause the robot does not need to be fed or managed. I'm tempted to build one myself as the parts cost doesn't look like it'll exceed $1.5K. The music in the video though...
According to https://www.wfft.org/wildlife-general/a-growing-trade-monkey... monkeys cost between $1000-$4000/head
Also do note that monkey based coconut picking is on the decline: https://www.pri.org/stories/2020-08-26/does-thailand-have-mo... Only a small proportion of coconuts are actually picked by monkeys.
Re: Indian robot climbs trees to harvest coconuts
#4Sadly this illustrates the current state of Robotics - HARD. This was 3 years with multiple people's lives. The industry as a whole needs to go down the same route as computers did which are common platforms that fit together that get the job done. Sadly there needs to be a behemoth in this space first(1960s IBM) that does all this work that society as a whole then can profit from(Facebook today)
Re: Indian robot climbs trees to harvest coconuts
#5Robot looks very fragile and process seems very slow.
Re: Indian robot climbs trees to harvest coconuts
#6> As the population increasingly moves towards tech jobs, there's now a shortage of coconut harvesters in India.
This seems a very bold claim. I can believe that there is a shortage of people willing to do this job, but it is very hard to believe that the reason is the tech jobs.
Even in the USA IT workers represent less than 5% of all jobs.
Otherwise interesting how automation is increasing around the world.
Re: Indian robot climbs trees to harvest coconuts
#7I am Indian and I am no worried about my job.
Re: Indian robot climbs trees to harvest coconuts
#8> As the population increasingly moves towards tech jobs, there's now a shortage of coconut harvesters in India. This seems a very bold claim. I can believe that there is a shortage of people willing to do this job, but it is very hard to believe that the reason is the tech jobs. Even in the USA IT workers represent less than 5% of all jobs. Otherwise interesting how automation is increasing around the world.
It is shifting the labor market though. For example, those tech workers are eating out far more often, so there is greater demand for the Indian equivalent of burger flippers (dosa flippers?), which could be considered preferable job compared to the higher risk occupation of coconut tree climbing.
Re: Indian robot climbs trees to harvest coconuts
#9Are they trying to put trained monkeys out of the job there ?
Re: Indian robot climbs trees to harvest coconuts
#10This is good as a learning exercise and may be result in something useful in future. So for sake of learning and advancement good. As far as claims to replace coconut harvesters, a bit of a stretch to probably attract funding with marketing.
Why not built a mechanical crane with a platform to help the worker to do better job with safety at heights to harvest a coconut and than apply the same for multiple tasks like repairing street lights. Cleaning the building facades and homes, cleaning and arranging work at heights. I believe existing technology can do it.