Why Agricultural End Effectors Are Ripe for IP Protection

Marley Macarewich, Anna Yuan, and Mike Ward authored an article for Law360 chronicling the evolution of agricultural end effectors and their associated patent strategies, and why it’s essential for IP practitioners to stay current on the key innovations and trends in the space.

“There has been a significant increase in patent filings directed to agricultural robotics, particularly end effectors,” the authors wrote. “This uptake in the number of patent filings may be attributed to increases in the level of research and investment in agricultural robotics as the world population continues to grow. Although China has been leading the pack in terms of patent filings, we foresee an increase in the number of patent filings in the U.S., given the strong level of investment and research here.”

They added: “Additionally, as more advanced forms of AI and IoT [Internet of Things] are integrated into agricultural robots, we foresee a significant increase in software-based patent filings in the future. This increase in patent filings will likely, in turn, lead to an increase in IP litigation.”

Read the full article.