EIMA 2024: MDB receives award for orange harvester

MDB orange harvester (Photo: MDB)

MDB, an Italian manufacturer of remote-controlled and autonomous machines, has received a Technical Innovation award from the EIMA International Agricultural and Gardening Machine exhibition.

The award recognises companies and products which demonstrate the latest in innovation and technical achievement.

The award-winning tech, developed in collaboration with Oranfresh and Vision Global Service, is a fruit picking system that uses four anthropomorphic arms to locate, pick and place oranges into boxes for transport to the processing plant.

Combined with technologies seen on the MDB Pocket Lift Plus, the harvester uses cameras located on the arms which are linked to a machine learning system developed by Vision Global which can automatically recognise shape and colour to select only the ripe fruit.

The system offers a series of benefits, including a faster pick rate than manual labour which supports a greater harvest yield.

Additionally, the automated picking method helps remove workers from what is a strenuous and hazardous picking process. Further, the robotic arms can handle the fruit with the upmost care, minimising damage.

“This award is a testament to our dedication to providing innovative solutions that address the challenges faced by the agricultural industry,” said Mario Di Biase, founder of MDB.

This is not the first EIMA award received by MDB. The company was previously recognised for development of the LV 1400 Dominator, a machine designed for heavy-duty forestry work. The machine can be fitted with a series of attachments for tree felling, stump grinding or a woodchipper.

Dott. Salvatore Torrisi, partner and administrator of Oranfresh said: “We recognise that the availability of labour is effecting the citrus business so we are realizing a project that mechanises the harvesting of oranges to help solve a problem in the industry.”

Testing of the new machine is expected to continue through the remainder of 2024, with commercial production starting in late 2025.

The new orange picker will be on display on the MDB stand at EIMA 2024.