AgBo
AgBo (named after Sony's Aibo)
is a flexible robot that was developed by Yoshi
Nagasaka (shown right), a
Japanese visiting scientist at the department of Agricultural and Biological
Engineering. The robot is technologically advanced, it features a (SICK ) laser scanner for guidance, fully
independent steering which allows for crabbing, spin turns, front/rear and
all-wheel steering. All communications among sensors and controllers were
implemented using a Controller Area Network CAN )
bus. The small size wheels performed well in dry soils, although larger wheels
are needed in muddy conditions. The robot weighs in at 80 kg's and can also be
remote controlled which is useful when it needs to be moved around.
Agricultural
Robotics is the logical proliferation of automation technology into biosystems
such as agriculture, forestry, fisheries, etc. Robots have the advantage of
being small, light weight and autonomous. Because of their size they can
collect data in close proximity to the crop and soil. Remote sensing only
provides overall information, while robotic scouts can give detailed
information about the crop such as the presence of diseases, weeds, insect
infestations and other stress conditions.
The light weight of the robots is a major advantage, since they do not compact the soil as larger machinery does.
The light weight of the robots is a major advantage, since they do not compact the soil as larger machinery does.
The first
generation of robots is developed as crop scouts that collect data in the
field. Although the guidance problem is solved, the required sensors are still
under development. Cameras are used to detect weeds, and larger scale sensors
are being developed to detect crop stresses and disease. Insect activity
sensors and most soil sensors are still on the drawing board.
The second
generation of robots will be able to perform field operations such as
mechanical weeding and micro spraying, a method where instead of applying large
quantities of spray in an inefficient way, small amounts of high concentration
chemical could be directly applied to weed plants. All operations that are
currently performed in the field can be done with robots, preferably of smaller
size and lower cost. Planting, seedbed preparation, spraying, cultivation are
all possible with smaller robots using GPS guidance. The only operation that
still requires large machinery and capacity is harvesting. This operation will
most likely be performed with large robots that resemble current equipment.
The third
generation of robots will be as part of a fully autonomous crop production
system. This futuristic farm idea is similar to "Houses of the
Future" which are abundant, the first one was offered by Monsanto
Corporation at California's Disneyland in 1957. The idea behind these
futuristic houses is to show how modern technology can contribute to comfort,
materials and energy savings, durability and enjoyment of our living spaces.
One wonders what the Farm of the Future would look like. Modern technology such
as GPS and the much more accurate European counterpart Galileo will deliver affordable and cm
precision navigation of vehicles. Sensors will provide real time information
about the status of the crop and computer software and data fusion techniques
will help to digest the data into management decisions. Robots will roam the
fields to care for the plants individually.
The Farm
of the Future will provide a playground where universities and companies can
work together to demonstrate the potential of technology and the general public
will have direct access to it.
AgTracker was developed by Matthias Kasten, a German
exchange student through IAESTE .
AgTracker is a much simpler robot than AgBo, it was targeted at low cost
(<$500). It features simple skid steering with only two motors and is guided
by a set of 8 infrared rangers and an absolute electronic compass . The robot is very stable and turns
well in soils even under muddy conditions. AgTracker is controlled by a BasicATOM40-M microcontroller, which also takes care
of the remote control interfacing.
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