Harvest House is exploring the use of humanoid robots.

In the salads supply chain, many processes have already been automated, yet working with pepper plants remains complex. That is why we are exploring what humanoid robots can add in the greenhouse. Their human-like form offers greater freedom of movement and enables new applications. At the Humanoid Application Center (HAC), which was officially opened on 2 July at the Mechatronica Innovatie Campus Schiedam (MICS), we conduct targeted experiments and bring technology and practice together.

Lienemijn Verploeg, Project Manager Innovation at Harvest House: “We do not wait until technology is fully ready. At the HAC, we are building step by step towards a robot that can harvest peppers independently, without causing damage. We start with ‘imitation learning’: the robot first learns how to gently grasp a pepper. From there, we continuously test, learn and improve towards application in the greenhouse.”

The aim is to develop a robust solution that can be deployed at scale. In doing so, we address two key challenges: dependency on labour and productivity in the greenhouse.

John Overgaag, grower at Kwekerij Overgaag: “At our company, covering 45 hectares, we carry out 80 million picking actions per year. This requires a great deal of labour, with significant seasonal peaks. If we automate harvesting, labour productivity will increase and new opportunities will arise.”

Through the partnership with the Humanoid Application Center, we are taking the next step. Here, we bring together technology, growers and knowledge, accelerating the development of applications that work in practice.