Robocrop Vision Guidance
Tillett and Hague's technology first became available as Robocrop from Garford Farm Machinery using Robydome electronics in 2001. Since then over 150 vision guided implements for inter-row operations have been sold in a
wide variety of agricultural and horticultural applications, covering
both conventional and organic production systems. Most of
these units have been sold into Europe, but a significant number
are now operating in counties as far afield as Australia and New
Zealand.
Robocrop is marketed in California by the Solex Corporation using Robydome computing hardware and an American built side shift system.
Following a successful collaborative research project Garfords are now marketing the next level of technology, within row cultivation for weed control between individual plants in transplanted crops.
Tillett and Hague Home
Inter-row cultivation and band spraying
Robocrop is designed to guide inter-row cultivation
and band spraying equipment accurately and at high speed. The
technology relieves the driver of the need to concentrate on very
accurate steering, allowing him to monitor operations without high
stress levels. This leads to a better quality of work that can be
maintained for longer periods and at higher speeds than had previously
been possible.
A video camera mounted on the machine views the crop ahead and passes images to a computer. The computer
calculates lateral position relative to crop rows and activates a side
shifting mechanism so as to minimise any misalignment. The
technology to locate and track crop rows was developed by the THT team
during 12 years research into vision based guidance for agricultural
applications. One of the principle advantages of our guidance
technology is that it takes information from a wide area, normally
spanning multiple rows. This increases the information on which
row location is based, which alongside a robust tracking algorithm,
makes the system robust to areas of missing crop or high weed
infestation that may mask crop rows. Robocrop uses greenness in
colour images to distinguish live plant material from background whilst
minimising the effects of shadows or strong sunlight.
The image above shows the Robydome manufactured cab mounted console
on which our software is loaded. Considerable effort has gone into
producing a clear and easy to operate user interface that includes a
live video image from the camera. From 2008 user screens will
feature multiple languages.
Click on this link to view a 33 second 6.3MB windows media format video of Robocrop vision guided inter-row cultivators in action.
The image above shows a vision guided inter-row hooded band sprayer.
The image above shows a Robocrop inter-row cultivator with three
sections each of which can side shift independently and each of which
has its own camera. This allows cultivation to take place at three
times the width of the drilling or transplanting operation
substantially improving work rate.
The image above shows a Californian Robocrop guidance system operating with an American built side shift hoeing sunflowers.
Within row cultivation
Inter-row guidance allows cultivation blades to pass down the row very
close to crop plants without causing damage. However, the area between
plants within the row remains uncultivated. In many cases the
only options have been to tolerate the weeds or deploy gang labour
armed with hand hoes.
Within row (sometimes called intra-row) guidance uses computer vision
to identify not just the crop rows, but individual plants within the
row. The computer system then synchronizes the rotation of a cyclical
cultivator to hoe between plants within the row. The result is a
significant increase in the cultivated area eliminating the need for
hand weeding in transplanted crops such as headed lettuce or brassicas.
To maximise efficiency both inter and within row cultivation can
be conducted simultaneously at a rate of up to 2 plants per second per
row. More details of the research behind this technology that has
become commercially available in 2008 can be seen under Current Projects.
Click on this link to view a 33 second 6.3MB windows media format video of Robocrop vision guided within row cultivators in action.
The image above shows a prototype
commercial within row weeder cultivating between plants of celery grown
at a nominal 20cm spacing.
