Robotics as key enabler technology in Food Industry 4.0 and beyond

In this chapter, we summarize and discuss the transformations that are brought about by integrating robotics in agriculture and the food industry. In Section 7.2, several enablers of robotics and their impact on farming and manufacturing environments are presented. Section 7.3 gives a brief overview on the fourth industrial revolution and its implications in the food industry. This section also highlights the collaborative activities of humans and robots, as well as the interconnection of cobots, automation, and wireless networks with the goal of optimized food production. In Section 7.4, the emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) in the food sector is discussed in some detail. Section 7.5 briefly outlines food processing and handling with the application of Industry 4.0 technologies. Section 7.6 discusses automation that engages robots and robotic systems in the food industry. Finally, Section 7.7 concludes the chapter with several practical examples.