Automation harvesting of whole-head iceberg lettuce.

园艺部门严重依赖获得季节性劳动力进行许多田间作业，包括收获。由于新冠肺炎、脱欧后的不确定性、来自其他行业的竞争以及缺乏合适的英国劳动力，行动受限促使种植者寻求对劳动力替代技术的投资。2019年，英国季节性工人收获了99,000吨生菜，农场门槛价值1.78亿GB(Defra BHS，2020)，这是英国价值最高的大田蔬菜作物。该项目已经找到了一个实现过程自动化的机会，并减少了对季节性劳动力的依赖。通过开发一种创新的机器人解决方案。*我们打算调整现有的机械能力，用圆盘将生菜抬离地面，然后用夹带夹住茎。*生菜将被提交给摄像头传感器，摄像头传感器将引导气流，将生菜头的外层包装叶吹干净，露出茎。*通过深度分割的机器视觉将使用第二个摄像头传感器来训练深度学习模型，以确定准确的切割位置。三个独立的开发将结合在一起，形成一个原型，用于2021年英国季节结束时的田间试验。与终端用户的接触证实了他们需要并愿意参与这种机器的开发。初步迹象表明，收获成本每年每公顷可降低约5,000 GB。2018年，欧盟种植了123,000公顷生菜和菊苣(FAOSTAT，2020)，美国也种植了类似的地区。这些地区在获得季节性劳动力方面与英国存在类似的问题，因此这种创新机器的潜在市场非常广阔。

The horticulture sector is heavily reliant on access to seasonal labour for many field operations, including harvest. Movement restrictions because of Covid-19, post-Brexit uncertainty, competition from other sectors, and the lack of suitable UK-based labour have driven growers to seek investments in labour-replacing technologies.99,000 tonnes of lettuce were harvested by seasonal workers in the UK in 2019 with a farm gate value of £178 million (Defra BHS, 2020), UK's highest value field vegetable crop.This project has identified an opportunity to automate the process, and reduce the reliance on seasonal labour, by developing an innovative robotic solution.* We intend to adapt existing mechanical capability and lift the lettuce clear of the ground by discs and then gripping the stem with pinch belts.* The lettuce will then be presented to camera sensors that will direct an air blast which will blow the outer wrapper leaves of the lettuce head clear to expose the stem.* Machine vision via deep segmentation will then be deployed using a second camera sensor to train a deep learning model to identify the precise location to be cut.The three separate developments will be combined to form a prototype for field trials towards the end of the 2021 UK season.Engagement with end-users has confirmed their need and willingness to be part of the development of such a machine. Early indications are that harvesting costs could be reduced by around £5,000 per hectare per annum.123,000ha of lettuce and chicory was grown in the EU in 2018 (FaoStat, 2020) with similar areas in the USA. These areas have similar issues to the UK with access to seasonal labour, therefore the potential market for such an innovative machine is extensive.