Automation harvesting of whole-head iceberg lettuce.

园艺部门的许多田间作业，包括收获，严重依赖季节性劳动力。由于Covid-19、英国退欧后的不确定性、来自其他行业的竞争以及缺乏合适的英国劳动力而导致的行动限制，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，农场出场价值为1.78亿英镑（Defra BHS，2020），英国价值最高的大田蔬菜作物。该项目通过开发创新的机器人解决方案，确定了自动化流程的机会，并减少了对季节性劳动力的依赖。*我们打算调整现有的机械能力，用圆盘将生菜从地面抬起，然后用夹紧带夹紧茎。*然后，生菜将被呈现给摄像头传感器，摄像头传感器将引导空气爆炸，空气爆炸将把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进行部署，以训练深度学习模型来识别要切割的精确位置。这三个独立的开发将结合在一起，形成一个原型，用于2021年英国赛季结束时的现场试验。与最终用户的接触证实了他们的需求和意愿，成为这种机器开发的一部分。早期迹象表明，每年每公顷的收获成本可以降低约5，000英镑。2018年，欧盟种植了123，000公顷的生菜和菊苣（FaoStat，2020），美国的种植面积与此类似。这些地区在获得季节性劳动力方面存在与英国类似的问题，因此这种创新机器的潜在市场非常广泛。

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.