Imagine a robot that can walk through a vineyard, check how the grapes are doing, and then pick them with two arms — gently, the way a skilled farmworker would. That's what BACCHUS built: a mobile robot with two dexterous arms that navigates rows of vines on its own, decides which bunches are ripe, and harvests them without bruising. The grippers can even be 3D-printed to fit different grape varieties, so the same machine works across different vineyards.
Vineyards and farms growing delicate crops depend heavily on seasonal manual labor for harvesting — workers who are increasingly hard to find, expensive to hire, and inconsistent in quality. Hand-picking grapes is slow, physically demanding work, and labor shortages during peak harvest can mean lost product. Current agricultural robots lack the dexterity and intelligence to replicate the careful two-handed picking that delicate crops require.
The project built an integrated bi-manual mobile robot capable of autonomous vineyard navigation, crop inspection via embedded sensors, and two-armed grape harvesting. The robot uses 3D-printed grippers that can be customized for different crop shapes. It was demonstrated picking different grape varieties in real vineyard conditions across 25 completed deliverables.
If you are a vineyard owner struggling with seasonal labor shortages during harvest — this project developed a bi-manual robotic harvester that autonomously navigates vineyard rows, identifies ripe grape bunches, and picks them with human-like finesse. The robot was demonstrated across different vine types and grape varieties, meaning it adapts to your specific crop rather than requiring you to adapt to it.
If you are a farm equipment manufacturer looking to add autonomous harvesting to your product line — this project produced a modular robotic platform with 3D-printable grippers that can be adjusted for different crop geometries. The system operates at 4 autonomous levels from navigation to bi-manual harvesting, giving you a ready-tested architecture to integrate into your machinery portfolio.
If you are a precision agriculture company offering crop inspection services — this project built a mobile robot with an embedded sensor system that autonomously inspects crops and collects field data with quality performance guarantees. The 8-partner consortium across 5 countries validated it in real vineyard conditions, providing a proven platform you could deploy as an inspection-as-a-service offering.
The project data does not include per-unit pricing or deployment costs. As a Research and Innovation Action, the focus was on developing and validating the technology rather than commercial pricing. You would need to contact the consortium partners to discuss licensing or pilot deployment terms.
The system was demonstrated in vineyard environments with different vine types and grape varieties. It operates autonomously at 4 levels — from navigation and crop inspection to bi-manual harvesting. Scaling to full commercial operations would likely require further engineering, but the modular design and 3D-printable grippers suggest the architecture was built with adaptability in mind.
The consortium of 8 partners across 5 countries — led by Aristotle University of Thessaloniki — jointly developed the technology. IP rights are governed by the consortium agreement. With 4 industry partners (including 2 SMEs) already in the consortium, some partners may be positioned to offer licensing or commercialization pathways.
Yes. The final deliverables include an integrated bi-manual robot and documented use case deployment and execution in vineyard environments. The robot was tested inspecting different types of vines and harvesting bunches of grapes of different varieties, confirming real-world field validation.
The platform uses additive manufacturing (3D printing) to adjust the robot gripper to the geometry of different crops. While the demonstration focused on vineyards, this modular gripper design suggests adaptation to other delicate crops — like berries, tomatoes, or soft fruit — is technically feasible.
Based on available project data, specific regulatory certifications are not mentioned. As a research project, the system was validated for technical performance rather than regulatory compliance. Any commercial deployment would need to meet local agricultural machinery safety standards.
The robot includes an embedded sensor system for crop inspection and data collection. Based on available project data, specific software integration details are not documented, but the data collection capabilities suggest compatibility with precision agriculture workflows.
The BACCHUS consortium brings together 8 partners from 5 European countries (Greece, Spain, Italy, Norway, UK), led by Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. What matters for business adoption is the strong industry presence: 4 out of 8 partners are from industry, including 2 SMEs, giving a 50% industry ratio. This means the technology was developed with commercial reality in mind, not just academic curiosity. The mix of 3 universities and 1 research organization provided the scientific depth, while the industry partners ensured the robot works in conditions real farmers actually face. The Southern European presence (Greece, Spain, Italy) is particularly relevant — these are major wine-producing regions where the vineyard harvesting problem is most acute.
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece) — coordinator. Contact through SciTransfer for a facilitated introduction to the research team.
Want to explore how BACCHUS robotic harvesting technology could work for your vineyard or agricultural operation? SciTransfer can arrange a direct introduction to the research team and help assess fit for your specific needs.
