Stavros Vougioukas, professor of biological and agricultural engineering, is developing robotic technologies to help farm workers be more efficient and safer when working in the fields, especially during labor-intensive tasks like harvesting.
“When I joined UC Davis in 2012, I started visiting fields and orchards, where I experienced firsthand the hard work needed to harvest,” Vougioukas said. “I also felt the farmers’ anxiety about a future in which the fruits of their hard work remain unharvested due to a lack of hands.”
Robots can carry harvested produce, allowing workers to spend less time walking and more time picking fruit, helping them boost productivity and earn higher wages. Improved efficiency helps farms adapt to changing labor dynamics and rising costs.
Looking ahead, Vougioukas envisions a future where farm robots communicate and collaborate with workers and farmers so naturally that they become trusted “work buddies.”
Currently, nine graduate students and three undergraduates work in Vougioukas’ lab, gaining invaluable hands-on experience with technologies designed to make agriculture healthier, safer, and more sustainable for future generations.
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