Manual oil palm harvesting is laborious and requires eccentric posture, hence its productivity is limited by the physical fitness of the harvester. Fatigue, mainly of muscle, is a major factor that would reduce harvester’s productivity.
Manual oil palm harvesting requires harvesters to lift & carry long, heavy poles with a sickle attached at the end. Harvesters spent the longest time Carrying/Lifting, where most assistance is needed.
Passive arm assist exoskeleton system can assist oil palm harvesters during harvesting of oil palm fresh fruit bunch.
1. An exoskeleton with arm lifting assist mechanism.
2. Passive assist mechanism that can be turn on/off without taking the exoskeleton off.
3. Exoskeleton assist the arm when lifting and handling harvesting tool, without interrupting harvesting motion.
4. Composed of spine plate with shoulder and hip harness, links, arm support mechanism assembly, arm cuff.
5. Aim to reduce arm muscle fatigue during tool lifting & handling.
6. Directed support angle allows lifting assist without interrupting harvesting
Advantages
1. Cutting takes only few seconds.
2. Difficulty for lifting is one of the feedback from harvesters especially for taller trees.
3. If harvesters were to use automated cutter (motorized cutter) lifting and handling assistance is still needed
Industry
• Oil palm plantation covers 5.8M hectares
• Oil palm harvesting plantation in Malaysia /
Indonesia
• Logistics in manufacturing plant / factories /
assembly line
UPM as a leader in innovation is ready to work with industry and investors to ensure that the benefits of UPM technologies can enhance the technology development and provide new business opportunities to the industry.
Here at UPM, we strive on becoming industries-friendly partner and create value for business growth. We firmly believe partnership is essential in delivering current technologies and innovation to provide sustain lives towards greener and better future for everyone.
Experience our first-hand technologies from our experts to deliver the latest innovation with the best quality in the market.
Inventor
Dr. Hazreen Haizi Harith
Faculty of Engineering
hazreen@upm.edu.my
