Poultry Processing Robotics Advances With ChicGrasp USDA-NIFA grant supports innovation in AI-powered robotics31 July 2026 31 July 2026 4 minute read 4 minute read By: By: University of Arkansas North AmericaWhat started out as a response to labor shortages in poultry processing plants during the COVID-19 pandemic has turned into a robotics system that can learn by imitating human movements to handle chickens. “We are trying to do similar things using that imitation learning idea, but in chicken processing.” Imitation learning with ‘diffusion policy’Traditional robotic methods, such as using suction cups or pre-programmed scripted motions, struggle in the unpredictable conditions of a poultry processing line. By comparison, other robotics learning methods failed entirely under the same conditions. Co-authors included graduate students Siavash Mahmoudi, Chaitanya Pallerla and Pouya Sohrabipour in the department of biological and agricultural engineering.