Experimental development to develop a hand held blueberry harvesting aid

由于新冠肺炎疫情带来的可用采摘劳动力的不确定性，再加上英国退欧不确定性、英镑贬值以及欧洲大陆移民劳工获得更多机会带来的持续限制，英国软果业正面临前所未有的挑战。鉴于这些压力，现在至关重要的是开发一种收获援助，以缓解需要大量移民工人的压力，并提高该行业对未来中断的适应能力。一项成功的援助将使该行业能够采摘所有可用的蓝莓，从而为英国人提供富含抗氧化剂的蓝莓，有助于支持免疫系统。同时支持英国经济，保护农村地区的就业机会，防止不必要的对环境有害的进口。我们将使用先进和精确的设计技术来快速开发蓝莓采摘辅助工具。我们将使用3D CAD建模、数字原型和3D打印来创建收获辅助工具。该项目对英国蓝莓产业的即刻可持续性和未来增长至关重要。

The UK soft fruit industry is facing unprecedented challenges due to the uncertainty of available picking labour as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, coupled with ongoing limitations caused by the uncertainty of Brexit, the fall in the value of sterling and greater opportunities becoming available to migrant labour in mainland Europe.Given these pressures, it is now critical to develop a harvesting aid to alleviate the pressure on requiring large numbers of migrant workers and improve the industry's resilience to future disruptions. A successful aid will enable the industry to pick all available blueberries and therefore supply the UK population with blueberries which are high in antioxidants and help support the immune system. Whilst also supporting the UK economy, protecting jobs in rural areas and preventing unnecessary imports which are detrimental to the environment.We will use advanced and precision design techniques to rapidly develop a blueberry harvesting aid. We will use 3D CAD modelling, digital prototyping and 3D printing to create the harvesting aid. This project is critical to the immediate sustainability and future growth of the UK blueberry industry.