10169640High-Speed Semi-Autonomous Fruit Picking Device - Collaborative DevelopmentActiveCollaborative R&DInnovate UKThe UK's £2 billion soft fruit industry is facing an existential crisis. A recent British Berry Growers survey revealed that nearly half of all growers are losing profitability, with 37% actively considering leaving the industry. A trend that threatens the future of domestic soft fruit production. In response, Neurabotics Ltd, an agri-tech SME based in Aberystwyth, is leading a powerful consortium to develop their transformative solution. In collaboration with global berry producer and growing systems manufacturer Haygrove Limited, local Mid-Wales strawberry growers Porth Farm, and the well-renowned Computer Science Department at Aberystwyth University. This project will bring together experts in both food and technology to develop and demonstrate a revolutionary high-speed semi-autonomous strawberry harvester that offers clear economic benefits to growers. Building on a successful feasibility study, this project will advance the technology to a TRL-7 working prototype. Their patented dynamic gripper mechanism, combined with advanced Sim2Real artificial intelligence, is projected to operate significantly faster and more energy-efficiently than any current robotic alternative. This increase in picking speed provides a direct economic advantage over competitors. Where, this performance advantage directly translates into an economic benefit for growers, who can meet their production needs with significantly fewer machines, thereby reducing overall capital and operational expenditure. This innovation will allow British fruit growers to regain profitability and increase sustainability in their businesses. It delivers clear environmental benefits by reducing the need for air-freighted imports, enhancing the resilience and security of the UK's food supply chain. By creating high-value technology jobs in Mid-Wales and boosting the competitiveness of the UK agri-food sector, this project will secure a more prosperous future for British farming, reinforcing the region's status as a leading agri-tech innovation cluster.