A comprehensive review of current robot-based pollinators for crop pollination

The decline of bee and wind-based pollination systems in greenhouses due to controlled environments and limited access has boosted the importance of finding alternative pollination methods. Robot-based pollination systems have emerged as a promising solution, ensuring adequate crop yield even in challenging pollination scenarios. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the current robotic-based pollinators employed in agriculture. The review categorizes pollinator technologies into major categories such as air-jet, water-jet, linear actuator, ultrasonic wave, and air-liquid spray, each suitable for specific crop pollination requirements. However, these technologies are often tailored to particular crops, limiting their versatility. The advancement of science and technology has led to the integration of automated pollination technology, encompassing information technology, automatic perception, detection, control, and operation. This integration not only reduces labor shortage problem but also fosters the ongoing progress of modern agriculture by refining technology, enhancing automation, and promoting intelligence in agricultural practices. Finally, the challenges encountered in the design of robot-based pollinators are addressed, and a forward-looking perspective is taken towards future developments, aiming to contribute to the sustainable advancement of this technology.