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 Briefing 
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- Apple Picking Robot – Robotics startup Abundant Robotics made apple picking robot that uses vacuum technology to pluck ripe apples from trees and deposit them in crates
  - Google $10 Million Funding – Received $10 million funding from GV (formerly Google Ventures), Google’s investment arm
  - Comparable to Humans – Tests in Australia show robot can spot ripe apples accurately with computer vision even at night and pick them gently as human
  - More Testing – Plans to test prototype robot in Washington in fall 2017, developing commercial version for growers by 2018
  - Shortage of Human Workers – Availability of seasonal labor in agriculture in decline in U.S., creating opportunities for automation in food growing business
 
 
 
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 Accelerator 
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 Sector 
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Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
 
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 Organization 
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Abundant Robotics
 
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 Source 
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 Original Publication Date 
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May 3, 2017 
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