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Agricultural Robot under Solar Panels for Sowing, Pruning, and Harvesting in a Synecoculture Environment

Author

Listed:
  • Takuya Otani

    (Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan)

  • Akira Itoh

    (Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan)

  • Hideki Mizukami

    (Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan)

  • Masatsugu Murakami

    (Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan)

  • Shunya Yoshida

    (Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan)

  • Kota Terae

    (Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan)

  • Taiga Tanaka

    (Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan)

  • Koki Masaya

    (Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan)

  • Shuntaro Aotake

    (Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan
    Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Inc., Tokyo 141-0022, Japan)

  • Masatoshi Funabashi

    (Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Inc., Tokyo 141-0022, Japan)

  • Atsuo Takanishi

    (Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan)

Abstract

Currently, an agricultural method called Synecoculture TM has been receiving attention as a means for multiple crop production and recovering from environmental degradation; it helps in regreening the environment and establishing an augmented ecosystem with high biodiversity. In this method, several types of plants are grown densely, and their management relies mainly on manual labor, since conventional agricultural machines and robots cannot be applied in complex vegetation. To improve work efficiency and boost regreening by scaling-up Synecoculture, we developed a robot that can sow, prune, and harvest in dense and diverse vegetation that grows under solar panels, towards the achievement of compatibility between food and energy production on a large scale. We adopted a four-wheel mechanism with sufficient ability to move on uneven terrain, and a two orthogonal axes mechanism with adjusted tool positioning while performing management tasks. In the field experiment, the robot could move straight on shelving slopes and overcome obstacles, such as small steps and weeds, and succeeded in harvesting and weeding with human operation, using the tool maneuver mechanism based on the recognition of the field situation through camera image.

Suggested Citation

  • Takuya Otani & Akira Itoh & Hideki Mizukami & Masatsugu Murakami & Shunya Yoshida & Kota Terae & Taiga Tanaka & Koki Masaya & Shuntaro Aotake & Masatoshi Funabashi & Atsuo Takanishi, 2022. "Agricultural Robot under Solar Panels for Sowing, Pruning, and Harvesting in a Synecoculture Environment," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-22, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:13:y:2022:i:1:p:18-:d:1010659
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kousaku Ohta & Tatsuya Kawaoka & Masatoshi Funabashi, 2020. "Secondary Metabolite Differences between Naturally Grown and Conventional Coarse Green Tea," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-23, December.
    2. Hui Li & Hu Liu & Jilei Zhou & Guojian Wei & Song Shi & Xiangcai Zhang & Rongfang Zhang & Huibin Zhu & Tengfei He, 2021. "Development and First Results of a No-Till Pneumatic Seeder for Maize Precise Sowing in Huang-Huai-Hai Plain of China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-22, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Huawei Yang & Yinzeng Liu & Shaowei Wang & Huixing Qu & Ning Li & Jie Wu & Yinfa Yan & Hongjian Zhang & Jinxing Wang & Jianfeng Qiu, 2023. "Improved Apple Fruit Target Recognition Method Based on YOLOv7 Model," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-21, June.

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