A team of researchers from West Virginia University have developed a pollination robot called Stickbug to help address the issue of endangered pollinators, such as bees, moths, butterflies and flies. Stickbug is specifically designed for greenhouse environments and uses a Kiwi drive system that allows it to move easily between narrow aisles. It is equipped with a probe and sorter to identify target flowers and an end effector with a felt-covered tip for contact pollination.
The robot features six arms and controllers, allowing it to pollinate multiple flowers simultaneously and perform tasks independently. In initial tests, Stickbug was able to conduct 1.5 pollination attempts per minute with a success rate of around 50%. The research team plans to conduct further tests with real trees during the flowering season in order to evaluate Stickbug’s effectiveness. If successful, the robot could provide a promising solution to compensate for the decline of natural pollinators and contribute to global food security. With its potential to make a significant impact on pollination efforts and protect essential plant species, Stickbug has the ability to revolutionize the way we approach agriculture.
