Researchers Develop Reusable Robotic Strawberry Stems
New artificial stems crafted from hot-melt adhesives allow for repeatable testing in automated harvesting systems.
Updated on Oct. 30, 2026 in Robotics
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Scientists have created reusable artificial strawberry stems using ethylene-vinyl acetate adhesives to improve robotic harvesting research. This low-cost testbed addresses the need for platforms that support repeated cutting and repair cycles.
Why it matters
Harvesting accounts for nearly 36% of total strawberry production costs due to labor shortages. Current testbeds often lack the fidelity for soft-tissue contact or fail to support the durability required for standardized, repeated testing.
The artificial stems feature a softening point of 86 °C ±5 °C and curvature errors ranging from 3.39% to 11.01%. Each unit maintains functionality for 8 to 13 cycles, with a measured length decrease of 4 mm per cycle.
The players
Communications Engineering
This is a peer-reviewed academic journal that publishes significant research findings across various engineering disciplines.
The details
Researchers utilized three-dimensional reconstructions to map stem anatomy and used localized heat from a glue gun to heal cut segments. The study sampled 53 plants across two commercial strawberry varieties to ensure mechanical similarity.
Timeline
The research team collected data from strawberry plants during the 2023 growing season.
The findings were officially published in Communications Engineering on October 30, 2026.
The Big Picture
The development of this artificial stem bridges a critical gap in robotic harvesting testbeds, where fidelity for soft-tissue interaction has historically lagged behind industrial requirements. This innovation moves the field toward standardized evaluation platforms that better mimic biological reality.
For agricultural tech developers, this innovation reduces the cost and complexity of calibrating harvesting robots. These stems may eventually lead to more affordable and efficient automated equipment for commercial fruit farms.
The takeaway
This research provides a cost-effective method to standardize the testing of complex robotic agricultural tasks. Designers can now implement these replicable stems in their own labs to improve the precision of automated harvesting systems.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest innovations in Robotics.
More information
Read the complete Research paper on artificial strawberry stems in Communications Engineering.
Source note: This article includes information reported by AZoRobotics.
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