Smart Glasses Revolutionize Tomato Harvesting Process
Agrotopia recently organized a demonstration to showcase the innovative use of smart glasses in simplifying the harvesting of cluster tomatoes based on ripeness. The event, held on March 22, brought together partners, growers, and other stakeholders to experience the technology firsthand at the tomato company Galle in Roeselare.
The smart glasses, developed by Iristick and integrated with image recognition software from Robovision in collaboration with Inagro vzw and the Institute for Agricultural, Fisheries and Food Research (ILVO), utilize advanced algorithms to automatically identify ripe tomato clusters ready for picking. This cutting-edge technology aims to streamline the harvesting process and improve efficiency in tomato cultivation.
During the demonstration, valuable feedback was gathered from growers to further enhance the application and ensure its effectiveness in real-world settings. The collaboration between Inagro, ILVO, Robovision, and Iristick has resulted in the development of an image recognition algorithm specifically tailored to assess the ripeness of tomatoes using smart glasses.
The smart glasses, equipped with an RGB camera linked to a smartphone, enable users to accurately determine the ripeness of tomatoes within a cluster. This feature is particularly beneficial for inexperienced pickers, as it provides visual guidance and simplifies the selection process, ultimately leading to a more efficient harvest.
In order to train the image recognition algorithm and optimize its performance, Agrotopia’s research greenhouse has collected hundreds of photos during various tomato cultivations to create a comprehensive training dataset. This dataset encompasses the diverse variations that occur in a production greenhouse, ensuring that the model is robust and reliable across different conditions.
Feedback from cultivation employees at Agrotopia has been positive, with one employee noting, “Working with the glasses feels quite comfortable. It takes some getting used to working with the small interface mounted on the glasses, but once you get the hang of it, it’s quite a smooth way to receive feedback on whether a cluster is ripe.”
The successful integration of smart glasses in the tomato harvesting process represents a significant advancement in agricultural technology, offering a practical solution to enhance productivity and efficiency in the industry. By leveraging the power of image recognition and wearable technology, growers can benefit from streamlined operations and improved crop management practices.
As the agricultural sector continues to embrace digital innovation and automation, the use of smart glasses for tomato harvesting marks a promising development in the quest for sustainable and cost-effective farming practices. With ongoing collaboration and feedback from industry stakeholders, the future looks bright for the integration of cutting-edge technology in agriculture.
Source: Inagro
Publication date:
Mon 7 Apr 2025
