Breadcrumbs

Kiwifruit E-BIN a winner for Waikato

6 December 2022

The e-BIN was won Fieldays' 2022 Prototype Award and a cash prize of $10,000 which will be used for trailing the system for other markets.

The University of Waikato’s electronic fruit bin that assists in the harvesting of kiwifruit to help make picking lighter work has taken out the Protoype Award at Fieldays Innovations Awards.

Nick Pickering, lecturer at the University’s School of Engineering, says the team was challenged to use automation technology to invent something that would assist kiwifruit pickers on orchards, opening up jobs to a wider group of people.

“The industry is suffering serious labour shortages especially during harvest, so we’ve come up with this solution that can enable more people to do the job of picking kiwifruit.”

Mr Pickering says the e-BIN aims to be technically feasible, financially viable and desirable for all stakeholders.

“The key factor is we need something simple that can be commercialised quickly to help address the labour shortages we’re seeing.”

Nick Pickering says the e-BIN has been designed to take the hard work out of picking Kiwifruit.

He says picking kiwifruit can be physically demanding work, as people are required to carry a large bag that they fill as they pick. Once filled it can weigh about 25kg and needs to be emptied into a larger bin.

The e-BIN takes the hard work out of picking the fruit.

Instead of individuals carrying around a bag, a group of four pickers can walk alongside the e-BIN, which is on wheels. As each kiwifruit is picked, it is dropped into a fruit catcher on the e-BIN. A net cushions and secures the fruit, before it rolls down and comes to rest in the main bin.

The e-BIN human assisted harvesting project has been a collaboration with Zespri, the project sponsor. It has also involved students and academics from the School of Engineering and industry experts.

The innovation was recognised at the Fieldays Innovation Awards, taking out the Prototype Award and a cash prize of $10,000 which will be used for trailing the system for other markets.

“There are different systems overseas in the Kiwifruit market and this will allow us to fine tune the machine to suit other growing systems,” Mr Pickering says.

Zespri Innovation Leader of Orchard Technology Peter McHannigan says there’s potential to solve many issues with assisted robotics but they must make commercial sense. “Through this project we are looking at the total financial cost-benefit assessment.”

Garcia Contracting Managing Director Luciano Garcia says increasing the labour pool has to be the most important goal for this project.

“There are a lot of people who love to work outdoors but cannot handle the weight and the regular bending involved in the harvest.”

Mr Pickering says the e-BIN has been put to the test, first with 3D printed fruit and then out in the field, with researchers looking at a number of factors including productivity and fruit damage. The results are promising in terms of the e-BIN’s ability to reduce fatigue and safely operate in an orchard environment.

“It’s a basic concept and it links the desirability, financial feasibility and practicality in a very simple solution really – as all we have done is removed the weight.”

He says the e-BIN will be validated in trial work this coming season and likely commercialised soon after.


Latest stories

Related stories

HEBUST programme staff and students

University of Waikato’s engineering programme in China recognised as an award-winning collaboration

The University of Waikato’s undergraduate cooperative engineering programme at the Hebei University of Science and…

NZ industry burns the equivalent of 108 litres of petrol every second – that has to reduce to meet our carbon targets

Industry needs vast quantities of heat for a wide range of activities. But it’s very…

Nathan Bailey, inaugural recipient of the Tauranga Moana Futures Scholarship

Scholarship enables inaugural recipient to contribute to the redevelopment of Tauranga City

University of Waikato first-year Bachelor of Engineering student Nathan Bailey is the inaugural recipient of…

Waikato researchers at the frontier of New Zealand’s high-tech robotics industry

Developing a high-tech robotics industry in New Zealand to grow and support a horticulture sector…

Algae to economics: academic promotions announced

The University of Waikato has announced its latest round of academic promotions.

Scholarship

Scholarship recipient loves learning about people

It takes a special person to receive two scholarships from the University of Waikato but…

University set to host international epicentre of activity for volcanologists

Hundreds of volcanologists and earth scientists from around the world meet in Rotorua for the…

Waikato wins at Australasian Formula SAE

A team of engineering students from the University of Waikato won first place overall for…

Prime Minister’s Scholarship students getting ready to fly

While most of us are winding down to a relaxing holiday season, a number of…

Waikato mechatronics connecting with the world

Dr Shen Hin Lim, Senior Lecturer of Mechatronics and Programme Leader of Mechatronics at the…

Studying the sex lives of spiders

A Marsden Fast Start grant will allow University of Waikato behavioural ecologist and senior lecturer…

Engineering Design Show promotes talent, vision and skill

The annual Engineering Design Show at the University of Waikato wrapped up last week with…