Frontier IP is delighted to announce that Robert Bosch Limited (“Bosch”) has entered into an agreement to work with portfolio company Fieldwork Robotics (“Fieldwork” or the “Company”) to accelerate development of its novel robot technology to harvest soft fruit and vegetables.
Bosch UK will collaborate with Fieldwork’s engineers to optimise the Company’s soft robotic arms and develop software aimed at reducing the arms’ cost and increasing their speed.
The agreement is a significant step forward in the commercialisation of the technology and in reaching the objective of moving it into full-scale production.
It also represents a further deepening of Frontier IP’s relationship with Bosch, a leading global supplier of technology and services that employs approximately 400,000 associates worldwide. Another Group portfolio company Pulsiv Solar is working with Bosch to optimise the design of its energy-efficient solar micro-inverter.
Fieldwork is initially focused on developing robots to harvest raspberries – they are more delicate, more easily damaged than other soft fruits, and grow on bushes with complex foliage and berry distribution. Fieldwork, together with the University of Plymouth, is also developing proof-of-concept robots for other crops following interest from leading multinational agribusinesses.
To accelerate the development of technology that has the potential to improve people’s quality of life and work, it is incredibly important that organisations – big and small – collaborate, making the best use of skills, knowledge and resources. To this end Bosch UK are very pleased to expand our relationship with Frontier IP and support Fieldwork Robotics in the development of their robotic arm for harvesting soft fruit and vegetables.
It gives Bosch great pleasure to work with companies that pioneer and change the way robotics are being used to simplify human working and this partnership adds to our “invented for Life” objective. Bosch will provide best in class capabilities to enable Fieldwork to commercialise and bring its robots to market.”
Vivek Kadal, Head of the Bosch Team working on the development for Fieldwork
The full announcement can be read here.
