Yes agree with you there are more than one solution, crane was just one thought. This is thinking out of the box and a cornerstone of innovation. My concern with robotics is sometimes it's much easier to use humans and with application of sufficient amount of technology can be much better. In some cases robots are essential where humans are too difficult to operate. So we need both, but in this specific article they mentioned coconut harvester in India and here there isn't a need for this robot except as learning exercise.
You would do better to come up with innovative new jobs for humans to do. It's easier to come up with a new service jobs than it is new materials to build cranes with
Humans can always invent new forms of labor. Limited only by imagination and opportunity. We should be automating everything we can while actively creating new categories of employment for every person
