A European research project is developing a sensor-equipped exoskeleton designed specifically for olive tree pruning, ai...

A European research project is developing a sensor-equipped exoskeleton designed specifically for olive tree pruning, aiming to reduce physical strain on workers and modernize one of the Mediterranean's oldest agricultural traditions. The project, called AgRimate, is funded by the European Commission through the Horizon Europe program. It is coordinated by the TECNALIA Foundation alongside Finland's University of Tampere, with an international consortium of partners including UPA. The team recently met in Bilbao to assess progress and set the next stages of development. The exoskeleton will embed a sensor system that collects real-time data on worker movement, physical load, and ergonomic stress during pruning. The goal is to cut the risk of musculoskeletal injuries, which are common in the demanding physical work of olive grove maintenance. Developers say it is built for the specific conditions of traditional and mountainous olive groves across the Mediterranean. AgRimate is also building augmented reality applications to train new professionals in the specialized techniques of olive pruning. The idea is to digitize the accumulated knowledge of generations of olive farmers before it disappears, turning it into interactive training tools that newcomers can actually use on the job. In the coming months, the project will partner with FADEMUR, the Federation of Rural Women's Associations, to document the needs and priorities of women working in olive cultivation. Their input will feed into how the tools are designed and deployed. Greek olive groves cover roughly 765,000 hectares, making Greece the world's third-largest olive oil producer. Projects like AgRimate are being watched closely by growers who face an aging workforce and growing difficulty attracting younger workers to the sector. #OliveOil #Greece #AgriTech