Abstract
In nature, and particularly in agriculture, pollination is fundamental for the sustainability of our society. In this context, pollination is a vital process underlying crop yield quality and is responsible for the biodiversity and the standards of the flora. Bees play a crucial role in natural pollination; however, their populations are declining. Robots can help maintain pollination levels while humans work to recover bee populations. Swarm robotics approaches appear promising for robotic pollination. This paper proposes the cooperation between multiple Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and an Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV), leveraging the advantages of collaborative work for pollination, referred to as Pollinationbots. Pollinationbots is based in swarm behaviors and methodologies to implement more effective pollination strategies, ensuring efficient pollination across various scenarios. The paper presents the architecture of the Pollinationbots system, which was evaluated using the Webots simulator, focusing on path planning and follower behavior. Preliminary simulation results indicate that this is a viable solution for robotic pollination. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025.

Abstract
Yield forecasting is of immeasurable value in modern viticulture to optimize harvest scheduling and quality management. The number of inflorescences and flowers per vine is one of the main components and their assessment serves as an early predictor, which can explain up to 85-90% of yield variability. This study introduces a sophisticated framework that integrates the benchmark of different advanced deep learning and classic image processing to automate the segmentation of grapevine inflorescences and the detection of single flowers, to achieve precise, early, and non-invasive yield predictions in viticulture. The YOLOv8n model achieved superior performance in localizing inflorescences ( F1-Score (Box) = 95.9%) and detecting individual flowers (F1-Score = 91.4%), while the YOLOv5n model excelled in the segmentation task ( F1-Score (Mask) = 98.6%). The models demonstrated a strong correlation (R-2 > 90.0%) between detected and visible flowers in inflorescences. A statistical analysis confirmed the robustness of the framework, with the YOLOv8 model once again standing out, showing no significant differences in error rates across diverse grapevine morphologies and varieties, ensuring wide applicability. The results demonstrate that these models can significantly improve the accuracy of early yield predictions, offering a noninvasive, scalable solution for Precision Viticulture. The findings underscore the potential for Computer Vision technology to enhance vineyard management practices, leading to better resource allocation and improved crop quality.

Abstract
With the global population on the rise and a declining agricultural labor force, the realm of robotics research in agriculture, such as robotic manipulators, has assumed heightened significance. This article undertakes a comprehensive exploration of the latest advancements in controllers tailored for robotic manipulators. The investigation encompasses an examination of six distinct controller paradigms, complemented by the presentation of three exemplars for each category. These paradigms encompass: (i) adaptive control, (ii) sliding mode control, (iii) model predictive control, (iv) robust control, (v) fuzzy logic control and (vi) neural network control. The article further introduces and presents comparative tables for each controller category. These controllers excel in tracking trajectories and efficiently reaching reference points with rapid convergence. The key point of divergence among these controllers resides in their inherent complexity.

Abstract

Abstract
Quadruped robots have gained significant attention in the robotics world due to their capability to traverse unstructured terrains, making them advantageous in search and rescue and surveillance operations. However, their utility is substantially restricted in situations where object manipulation is necessary. A potential solution is to integrate a robotic arm, although this can be challenging since the arm's addition may unbalance the whole system, affecting the quadruped locomotion. To address this issue, the robotic arm must be adapted to the quadruped robot, which is not viable with commercially available products. This paper details the design and development of a robotic arm that has been specifically built to integrate with a quadruped robot to use in a variety of agricultural and industrial applications. The design of the arm, including its physical model and kinematic configuration, is presented. To assess the effectiveness of the prototype, a simulation was conducted with a motion-planning algorithm based on the arm's inverse kinematics. The simulation results confirm the system's stability and the functionality of the robotic arm's movement.