Naoki Irie

Industrial Technology Center of Okayama Prefecture

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Dr. Naoki Irie is a pioneering researcher in agricultural robotics, with a focused expertise in developing automated harvesting systems for specialty crops. His major contributions center on the design and implementation of an asparagus harvesting robot, a project that addresses critical labor shortages in agriculture. Irie’s work integrates 3-D vision sensors, robotic arms, and mobile platforms to create a fully automated system capable of identifying, grasping, and cutting asparagus stems in both greenhouse and field environments. His most cited paper, "Asparagus harvesting robot coordinated with 3-D vision sensor" (2009, 37 citations), established the foundational approach of using cross-sectional measurement for target selection. Subsequent work, including his 2014 paper (18 citations), refined the end-effector and navigation systems for speed and reliability. With a total of over 70 citations across his key publications, Irie’s research has had a tangible impact on precision agriculture, demonstrating how robotics can enhance efficiency in labor-intensive tasks. His notable achievement includes developing a robot that operates in real-world furrows, a significant step toward commercial viability. For students and researchers, Irie’s work exemplifies the practical application of computer vision and robotics to solve pressing agricultural challenges.