A small greenhouse with red and green fruits and vegetables growing inside is particularly eye-catching among the computer numerical control machine tools, robots, and 3D printers surrounding it. In the laboratory of the Beijing Research Center for Plant Factory Engineering Technology located in the BJUT campus, Professor Gao Guohua from the Faculty of Materials and Manufacturing, is illustrating to the students the working principle of his automated picking robot.

This manipulator is the first in the world that can achieve hollow full flexibility, with active drive. Through three coordinated motors, the manipulator can swing to any angle with a fully adaptable overall posture. As a result of this, in the process of picking, the manipulator can avoid the repetitious actions of 'catching and releasing', and greatly improves the efficiency of picking." Professor Gao said.

As a researcher in the field of mechanical design, Professor Gao mentioned the year 2007, when he talked about his experience of scientific research in "smart agriculture". He said,“At that time, China lagged behind the international community in intelligent agricultural machinery. Research on high-end intelligent agricultural machinery with independent intellectual property rights is needed because of the urgent needs of the country to accelerate the construction of its own modern industrial agricultural technology systems."

In the following years, Professor Gao led a team to study, develop, and promote a full set of automatic planting machines. A full range of intelligent agricultural machinery and equipment suitable for leafy vegetables, fruit vegetables, and flowers has gradually changed from drawings to prototypes in the day-to-day and year-after-year research of him and his team, and has been put into use in Beijing, Hebei, Jiangsu, Fujian and other provinces and cities across the country. "In Beijing, there is one of the largest agricultural greenhouse facilities in Asia. In the near future, you will be able to see automated picking robots busy working here. This work will improve Beijing's self-sufficiency in vegetables." When talking about this work, which is contributing to the construction of modern urban agriculture in Beijing, Professor Gao is full of passion and hope.

Gao Guohua is full of confidence for the future prospects of "smart agriculture". He said, "Against the backdrop of China's urbanization, especially in the case of the rapid population growth in the metropolises, the demand for vegetable supply has become increasingly prominent. Adopting efficient and intensive methods in modern agriculture around the metropolises, and elsewhere, is essential. 'Smart' mechanized planting and picking of fruit and vegetables is an important solution to deal with shortages in fruit and vegetable supplies. Because of this, I believe the application of smart intelligence and mechanization will become the general trend of China's agricultural development. It will also be a strong driving force in BJUT's development".