Robots used for packaging, processing fruits and veggetables in Australia

MELBOURNE: Robots are being employed in Australia to improve the production, packaging and processing of fruits and vegetables.

Experts say there are many repetitive, labour intensive jobs when it comes to packing fruit and vegetables, but robots could soon take some of the load.

The robot is an arm "which is really good for picking things up and putting them down," said Andrew Taylor, an engineer from Auto Control Systems in Australia.

Taylor, who has been designing these robots, said the difference between this arm and a lot of much bigger robotic arms was that it could work alongside people.

Larger robots were often much too dangerous to work in close proximity with people, ABC reported.

Taylor described plans for a robot to assist in the packing of strawberries, which could be an incredibly arduous task for an individual.

"Obviously, if your entire job consisted of standing at the end of the line and taking a small box of strawberries and putting it into a pallet, you probably don't last very long.

"But it's something that the robot can do 24 hours, seven days a week," said Taylor.