As part of the AI-AGRI-HAND project, researchers from Serbia and Italy are working together to develop technologies that could significantly transform food production in the years to come. The project brings together researchers from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering in Belgrade, the Faculty of Engineering Sciences in Kragujevac, the University of Genoa and the Italian Institute of Technology. Its goal is to develop an intelligent robotic hand capable of handling fruit and vegetables as gently as a human hand.
In Belgrade, a team of researchers from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering is carrying out its part of the project at two Palace of Science Science centres: the Centre for Industrial Internet of Things and the Centre for Robotics. Their task is to develop tactile sensors that will give robots a sense of touch and pressure. This data can be used to assess the quality and ripeness of agricultural produce, as well as detect potential damage, helping with the subsequent sorting process. In other words, the aim is to teach the robotic hand to use a combination of optical and tactile sensors to recognise and gently pick up delicate fruit without damaging it.
The pioneering project was recently featured by RTS’s Educational and Science Programme in the television show “AI and Us (Artificial Intelligence and Us)”, offering viewers an insight into the research and the people behind it.
The Palace of Science is home to 20 Science centres, where experts work every day on projects that connect scientific research with practical solutions for Serbian industry. AI-AGRI-HAND demonstrates the important role these centres play: Serbian researchers are making key contributions to smart robotics technologies, connecting scientific research with innovative solutions to real-world challenges in agriculture