Latest news with #ShinkyuPark
Arab News
15-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
How a KAUST team is using AI to transform date harvesting in Saudi Arabia
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is transforming its agriculture sector with advanced robotics aimed at boosting productivity and sustainability. Artificial intelligence-powered machines are automating date-palm harvesting and managing irrigation, addressing labor shortages while optimizing water use in the Kingdom's arid climate. Backed by major investments and ongoing field trials, the country is also positioning itself as a leader in smart farming, with the goal of increasing crop yields and enhancing food security. A key initiative in this push is a research project led by a team at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, which is developing an AI-driven robotic system to support local date farmers. The project, headed by KAUST Assistant Prof. Shinkyu Park, focuses on automating critical tasks in date palm cultivation — including harvesting, pollination, and tree maintenance. By integrating robotics with AI, the team aims to improve efficiency and deliver higher yields of more nutritious dates. The research was motivated by the pressing need to modernize and automate traditional practices in Saudi Arabia's date palm industry, a sector that has long been central to the nation's food security and economy, Park told Arab News. He said: 'This research project seeks to reduce labor-intensive risks, enhance agricultural efficiency, and align with national priorities by positioning Saudi Arabia as a global leader in agricultural innovation.' Saudi Arabia is the world's second-largest date producer, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization, with production topping 1.9 million tonnes in 2024, as per data from the General Authority for Statistics. But date harvesting is physically demanding. It requires farmers to climb tall trees and rely on years of experience to judge fruit ripeness — a clear opportunity for AI-powered robotics to make a meaningful impact, Park says. To this end, the KAUST team, with support from the National Center for Palms and Dates, focused on precise date assessment to enable accurate harvesting using robotic systems. Their research began with a well-established AI model that leverages high-resolution visual sensor data to identify individual dates and, at a later stage of the project, to classify both their species and ripeness — one of the project's key milestones, Park noted. 'These models are continuously refined as we collect additional experimental data and gain insights from ongoing trials,' he said. Park said AI will be integrated into every major stage of the process — from identifying ripe dates and guiding robotic arms around palm trees, to optimizing grasping and harvesting using advanced machine learning. Building on that foundation, the system combines robotic arms with specialized tools and AI-driven software to handle essential tasks such as harvesting, pollination and palm tree maintenance. 'The system will be developed to autonomously identify dates, female flowers, and tree trunks to support these operations,' Park said. 'The robotic arms are engineered for high-precision movement, enabling the selective harvesting of ripe dates without damaging surrounding fruit.' In addition to harvesting, the robotic platform is designed to promote overall tree health. 'Beyond harvesting, the system will also enhance palm tree health by enabling timely pesticide application to help prevent pest infestations and disease,' he said. He pointed out that 'the use of modern AI tools that leverage data is becoming essential in robotics, particularly when developing systems for deployment in complex, unstructured environments like date palm farms.' 'These AI-driven methods allow the system to adapt and improve over time,' he added. 'AI will play a critical role in enhancing productivity by learning from operational data and continuously refining the robot's performance across a range of agricultural tasks.' To support this adaptability, the KAUST team's robots are also fitted with vision-based systems and a range of sensors, including force/torque sensors at each joint. These components measure physical interactions during manipulation and provide real-time feedback to guide the robot's actions. Just as human farmers rely on fingertip pressure to sense whether they have successfully grasped a date, these sensors enable the robot to evaluate the quality of its grip on individual fruits. Further improving the system's learning capabilities, human input plays a key role. Demonstrations of date palm harvesting, pollination and tree maintenance serve as valuable feedback for refining the AI models. By continuously integrating sensory data with human expertise, the system evolves over time — much like a human apprentice gaining skill through guided, hands-on experience. Still, a key challenge is how to deploy these systems reliably in natural outdoor environments. Park said this is where the AI models and sensing technology must prove themselves. 'The camera systems we currently use have demonstrated strong performance in other complex domains — such as underwater robotics, as validated in other projects in our lab,' he said. 'However, to achieve the level of precision required for accurate date detection in outdoor agricultural settings, we are also exploring additional sensing modalities, including LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), to improve robustness under diverse environmental conditions.' He noted that 'these efforts are closely integrated with the iterative refinement of our AI models, particularly as we gather more data during upcoming field trials to ensure accurate and reliable classification of date varieties and maturity levels.' As Saudi Arabia increasingly embraces AI across industries, concerns about automation replacing human labor have surfaced. Park emphasized, however, that this technology is intended to complement — not replace — human expertise. 'Experienced date palm farmers remain indispensable for advancing best practices and overseeing day-to-day operations,' he said. 'The primary goal of the system is to reduce the physical demands of harvesting while making advanced technologies accessible, even to smallholder farmers. 'Beyond its technical objectives, the project also aims to cultivate local talent and attract global expertise, fostering sustainable development and promoting knowledge exchange within the field of agricultural robotics.' Looking ahead, the KAUST team is preparing for real-world validation. During the 2025 field trial, Park said the research team aims to validate the first-year robotic system design under real-world farming conditions and collect extensive data to further enhance their AI models. 'These trials are essential for evaluating system performance, strengthening robustness, and accelerating progress toward full-scale deployment over the planned three-year development period,' he said. 'We intend to conduct field trials during every date harvesting season. While most of the engineering work is carried out in the KAUST robotics lab, these trials are critical for testing and validating the robotic system in practical agricultural environments.'
Leaders
09-03-2025
- Business
- Leaders
Automating Date Palm Harvesting: KAUST Unveils New Robotic System
The King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) has developed a new AI-powered robotic system to automate date palm harvesting, according to the Saudi Press Agency. The robot represents a remarkable breakthrough in the agricultural sector and further boosts the agricultural innovation. The new technology focuses on automating the basic processes in date cultivation, such as harvesting, pollination, and tree maintenance. Therefore, it plays a significant role in increasing the production of dates while maintaining high nutritional values. KAUST Assistant Professor Shinkyu Park, stated that the robot can handle dates of different sizes and degrees of hardness. Furthermore, the system will improve dates productivity by collecting and analyzing data to enhance their capabilities in various processes. Park added that the 'Farm Robot' system ensures the sustainability of agriculture while employing artificial intelligence to increase efficiency. Interestingly, the system's robotic arms have the ability to move as quickly as a human farmer while precisely picking each date without causing any damage to the system or dates. Through high-precision visual sensors, the robotic farmers can identify individual dates, flowers, as well as tree structures. Accordingly, they can carry out several processes such as harvesting, spraying, and pruning, ensuring tree health and productivity, while reducing the risk of pest infestations and diseases. Park noted that field trials are set to commence during the 2025 harvest season, with full operational capability expected within three years. As for smaller farmers, Park suggested that a Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) model could allow them to access the technology without the burden of purchasing the robots. Related Topics: KAUST, Fincantieri Forge Partnership to Advance Maritime Cybersecurity SEC, KAUST Launch Pioneering Carbon Capture Research Project at Rabigh KAUST Tops THE Arab University Rankings for 2nd Year Short link : Post Views: 18
Arab News
09-03-2025
- Business
- Arab News
KAUST develops robotic system to Improve date palm harvesting
RIYADH: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology is developing a new robotic system designed to automate date palm harvesting. The related research, led by KAUST Assistant Prof. Shinkyu Park, focuses on automating key processes in date farming, such as harvesting, pollination and tree maintenance through artificial intelligence-powered robotics, and promises to produce larger yields of more nutritious dates. In a press release, Park said the study sees the robots starting as apprentices and gradually honing their skills in date farming routines, quickly becoming experts. Park aims to have his robotic farmers handle dates of various sizes and firmness while maximizing the harvest rate. By operating and collecting data, the robots will improve their productivity by enhancing their capabilities for many of the tasks associated with date farming. Field trials are scheduled to begin during the 2025 harvest season, with full operational capability expected within three years. Park suggested that a robots-as-a-service business model, in which companies offer the use of their robots on a subscription contract basis, could allow smaller farmers to benefit from the technology without the burden of purchasing the robots outright. 'We are developing robotics technologies that support national interests. Our cost-effective automation solutions for the date palm industry are just one example,' Park added. According to the press release, the robotic arms of the system will be able to move as quickly as a human farmer while precisely picking each date without damage — to itself or the fruit. By equipping them with high-precision visual sensors, the robotic farmers can distinguish individual dates, flowers, and tree structures to execute various farming tasks like harvesting, spraying, and pruning, which ensures the health, productivity, and longevity of the trees and reduces the risk of pest infestations and diseases. Dates have been central to the Saudi diet for thousands of years. It is a major food product, with the value of date exports by the Kingdom increasing 10 percent between 2023 and 2024 and another 10 percent between 2023 and 2024, according to the press release. The project is just one of many at KAUST that will benefit date farming and food security. At the end of 2024, the National Center for Palms and Dates signed an agreement to fund SR100 million ($25 million) to KAUST for innovations in the data sector 'I'm excited that this initiative extends beyond engineering solutions and cultivates research and development opportunities for local talent, contributing to the long-term sustainable educational and economic growth of the Kingdom,' Park said.
Asharq Al-Awsat
09-03-2025
- Science
- Asharq Al-Awsat
KAUST Develops Robotic System to Improve Date Palm Harvesting
The King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) has been developing a new robotic system designed to automate date palm harvesting, SPA reported. According to a KAUST press release, the system aims to revolutionize the agriculture industry and establish Saudi Arabia as a leader in agriculture innovation. The research, led by KAUST Assistant Professor Shinkyu Park, focuses on automating key processes in date farming, such as harvesting, pollination, and tree maintenance through AI-powered robotics, and promises to yield larger quantities of more nutritious dates. Park's "robotic farmers" solution combines robotics for reliable farming and AI for greater efficiency. The robotic arms of the system will be able to move as quickly as a human farmer while precisely picking each date without damage to itself or the fruit. Equipped with high-precision visual sensors, the robotic farmers can identify individual dates, flowers, and tree structures to perform tasks such as harvesting, spraying, and pruning, ensuring tree health, productivity, and longevity while reducing the risk of pest infestations and diseases. Field trials are scheduled to begin during the 2025 harvest season, with full operational capability expected within three years. Park suggested that a Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) model could allow smaller farmers to access the technology without the burden of purchasing the robots outright. The project is one of many at KAUST that will benefit date farming and food security. Such projects provide Saudi Arabia an advantage not only in agricultural technology but also in agricultural expertise, as leaders in farming and robotics are drawn to the region, while laborers will be the first to engage with the new technologies developed by Park and his team, according to the release. "I am excited that this initiative extends beyond engineering solutions and cultivates research and development opportunities for local talent, contributing to the long-term sustainable educational and economic growth of the Kingdom," he said.
