Inaho: Tomato harvest robot

History

2025: Product Announcement

In early May 2025, Inaho unveiled the latest model of an autonomous robot for tomato harvesting, which is planned to be tested in the summer at a partner farm in the Netherlands.

The new model features a completely new hardware and circuit architecture, as well as fundamental functional improvements aimed at commercialization and mass production.

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Фото: Inaho

The development of the robot was due to the growing problems of the agricultural industry. Greenhouse farming has a low level of mechanization with increasing labor shortages and rising staff costs, which directly affects the profitability of the business. For crops such as tomatoes, harvesting work accounts for half of the total working hours, creating a strong dependence on wage labor.

In the Netherlands and other countries, amid an increase in the cost of labor, the active introduction of harvesting robots is taking place. In Japan, the process is slower due to lower labor costs and delays in standardizing growing conditions.

The new robot model has a number of significant improvements over previous versions. Thanks to the use of industrial gearboxes, engines, sensors and cameras, it was possible to significantly increase the accuracy, speed and durability of the device.

Together with external partners, Inaho has selected the optimal conveyor for harvesting tomatoes. The overall design of the robot has a smooth curved structure, which reduces the risk of catching stems and branches, minimizing damage to plants and adjacent territory.

The robot is equipped with dual cameras on the left and right sides, which significantly reduces the recognition time in each lane and increases the efficiency of the entire cleaning process. The device also has a control function, which with the help of a special lever lowers the collected tomatoes close to the basket before placing them, reducing the risk of falling or damage to fruits.^[1]

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