Hort Innovation | Eyeing a future where fruit pickers are trained by virtual reality

Training fruit pickers using virtual reality equipment, employing robots to move fruit containers and wearing exoskeletons to support physical labour are all possibilities being considered by Australian berry growers to boost labour efficiency.

Delivered through Hort Innovation and led by The Growth Drivers in consultation with berry growers, the research aimed to identify practical technology-based solutions to address one of the industry’s biggest challenges. 

The identified technologies were then developed in consultation with prospective technology providers, before being validated and improved through interactions with growers, including interviews and a dedicated grower workshop.