I’ve previously written of the seminal work of computer scientist Marshall Brain. To my knowledge, he was first to accurately predict how robots and artificial intelligence (AI) would begin their assault on the work force in the early 21st century. He proposed it would start with automation of fast-food restaurants. (You can read his free e-books Manna and Robotic Nation at MarshallBrain.com. I heartily recommend them.)

As I have previously reported, it has happened exactly as he predicted. He projected along the curve of progress, and has made some startling — yet carefully reasoned — prognostications about the future of work, including massive and permanent unemployment for much of the U.S. population (and the rest of the world) as AI robotic systems come to master ever more sophisticated tasks.

The only question in his mind was how we will address this phenomenon. I am writing a book that explores this and other phenomena related to the technological tidal wave. I’ll tell you more about it as it develops further.

Meanwhile, necessity is the mother of invention in this field, as in others. Immigration reform is driving efforts to replace immigrant labor.

The Associated Press reports that Ramsay Highlander is among the companies planning to soon unveil intelligent tractors and robots that pick fruit. These machines will pick grapes without crushing them and perform such tasks as removing the unwanted core material from lettuce after picking it.

They will, essentially, pick and then preprocess produce, taking it partway through the preparation process even before it leaves the field. This already happens for items that can either be damaged in the picking process, such as canned tomatoes, or items that are relatively hardy, like nuts.

So far, efforts to release such devices have been constrained by the delicacy needed in handling many kinds of fruits and vegetables. However, the need is being exacerbated by new pressure on illegal immigrants, who constitute most of the farm workers today doing the work.

Thanks to stronger law enforcement, last year California saw labor shortages, and some fruit was left unpicked and went to waste.

The new pickers rely on advances in computing power and hydraulics that can make robotic limbs and digits operate with near-human sensitivity. Modern imaging technology also enables the machines to recognize and sort fruits and vegetables of varying qualities.

However, the new technology appears just about ready to come to the rescue. For example, Vision Robotics has a prototype fruit picking system. It starts by sending an automated scanner into fruit orchards. This creates a full map in three dimensions that shows where all the fruit is and how ready it is to be picked.

A robot is then deployed into the orchard, where it gently removes the fruit that’s ready to be picked. At an estimated cost of a half million dollars per unit, use of the devices will initially be limited. However, costs can be expected to come down, as always happens with the technology curve.

Scientists at California State University, Fresno are developing a system to allow for more refined grape picking. It includes a spectrometer that measures sugar levels and chemical content of grape samples, information that is then used to guide a mechanical harvester toward specific bunches of grapes that are perfect for harvesting.

Salinas Valley-based Ramsay Highlander expects to soon release a robotic system that removes lettuce heads from the ground and cleans and compares them to the point of even being boxed and ready for shipment.

Some may think that the advent of automated systems for picking and processing produce is of little import to the broader work force. They are wrong. Every advance in the understanding of work automation enables further applications in other areas of work.

Consider that technological progress is an endless series of layers, with each new layer built on the previously established foundation. Today, agricultural workers — tomorrow, building maintenance. And then?

To your profitable future,
Jonathan Kolber
September 11, 2007

P.S.: My Emerging Capital Report readers are quite familiar with this subject. In fact, I’m always taking areas of study like this and finding unique investment ideas out of them. I recently found one that should give my readers a great opportunity for huge profits.

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