Agricultural support system, method and program

Abstract

To provide a technology capable of automatically and reliably pollinating plant flowers without relying on bees or manual labor.SOLUTION: An agricultural support system comprises an operation mechanism that performs a predetermined operation in contact with a plant, and a control unit. The control unit executes: a location identification step for identifying a predetermined location of the plant; and an operation step in which the operation mechanism performs the predetermined operation on the predetermined location of the plant identified in the location identification step. The operation step includes a step in which the operation mechanism performs the predetermined operation so as to surround the predetermined location of the plant.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an agricultural support system, method, and program.

Background Art

[0002] Entomophilous flowers such as strawberries are pollinated in nature by insects (e.g., honeybees). Currently, plants are often produced systematically in closed or semi-closed spaces such as plant factories. However, in such plant factories, there is a lack of sunlight and ultraviolet rays, which are essential for flying insects, and the price of bees for pollen mating has skyrocketed, making natural pollination by insects difficult.

[0003] Therefore, in a plant factory cultivating strawberries, an operator performs an operation of tracing flowers with a pen or a cotton swab to effect pollination. However, such an artificial pollination operation not only takes time but also requires sufficient experience and skill to ensure pollination, resulting in high costs.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 provides a technique capable of automatically and surely pollinating the flowers of plants without relying on bees and manual work.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] There is a problem that operations on a predetermined part of a plant cannot be performed more effectively. Therefore, the present disclosure has been made to solve the above problems, and its object is to provide a technique for more effectively performing operations on a predetermined part of a plant.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] An agricultural support system comprising an operating mechanism that comes into contact with a plant and performs a predetermined operation, and a control unit, wherein the control unit executes a location identification step of identifying a predetermined location of the plant, and an operation step of causing the operating mechanism to perform a predetermined operation on the predetermined location of the plant identified in the location identification step, and the operation step is a step of causing the operating mechanism to perform a predetermined operation so as to surround the predetermined location of the plant.

Advantages of the Invention

[0008] According to the present disclosure, an operation on a predetermined location of a plant can be performed more effectively.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed descriptions thereof will not be repeated.

[0011] The automatic pollination device 1 (agricultural support system) according to the present disclosure includes a control unit, an operation mechanism that comes into contact with a plant and performs a predetermined operation, a separation suppression unit that suppresses the operation mechanism from separating from a predetermined location of the plant when performing a predetermined operation at a predetermined location of the plant in an operation step, and an imaging mechanism that captures an image of the plant. The operation mechanism is composed of one or more pollination units. The operation mechanism is composed of three or more pollination units arranged so as to surround a predetermined area. The pollination unit is composed of a brahma having a soft tip such as feathers, wool, human hair, hair of animals, etc., and fibers such as nylon, rayon, polyester, and plants. The operating mechanism includes a first pollination part and a second pollination part, and in the extending direction of the operating mechanism, the first position of the first pollination part is provided at a position different from the second position of the second pollination part. The first pollination part and the second pollination part are provided at the first position and the second position corresponding to the plant. The specific configuration of the operating mechanism will be described as follows.

[0012] In the present disclosure, as an operation step of performing a predetermined operation on a predetermined part of a plant, a pollination process of performing a predetermined operation of bringing one or more pollination parts into contact with the pistil of a predetermined flower so that one or more pollination parts surround the pistil of the predetermined flower is disclosed as an example, but it is not limited thereto. For example, the operation step may be one that performs a predetermined operation so that the operating mechanism surrounds a predetermined part of the plant. For example, the predetermined operation may include at least one selected from the group consisting of a pollination operation of a flower, a fruit harvesting operation, a leaf scraping operation, and a fruit thinning operation.

[0013] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, an operation on the stamen or pistil of a flower is disclosed. In addition, the operation step may be one that performs a predetermined operation so that after bringing one or more pollination parts into contact with the pistil of the first flower, the one or more pollination parts are brought into contact with the pistil of the second flower. Specifically, after performing a pollination process on the first flower, a pollination process on a different second flower may be executed. Thereby, the pollination part 100 can adsorb pollen from the stamen of the first flower and pollinate the pistil of the second flower with the adsorbed pollen. Further, after bringing the pollination part into contact with the stamen of a predetermined flower, the pollination part may be moved so as to be in contact with the pistil of the same predetermined flower. Thereby, pollination of the plant can be performed more effectively.

[0014] <The First Embodiment> <Configuration> Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the configuration of the automatic pollination device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. The automatic pollination device 1 is a device that automatically performs a pollination process on the flowers of plants in a system for planned production of plants, such as a plant factory, a greenhouse, or a vinyl house. Specifically, it is a device that automatically performs a pollination process on self-pollinating flowers, such as strawberries and tomatoes, where pollen adheres to the stigma of the same flower.

[0015] FIG. 1 is a functional block configuration diagram showing the automatic pollination device 1 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the automatic pollination device 1 includes a pollination unit 100 (operation mechanism), a first camera 201, a second camera 202 (imaging mechanism), and a control unit 300. The pollination unit 100, the first camera 201, the second camera 202, and the control unit 300 are interconnected via a network NW. The network NW is a communication network for communication, and is composed of, for example, a communication network including the Internet, an intranet, a LAN (Local Area Network), a WAN (Wide Area Network), a wireless LAN (Wireless LAN: WLAN), a wireless WAN (Wireless WAN: WWAN), a virtual private network (Virtual Private Network: VPN), etc. Further, the pollination unit 100, the first camera 201, the second camera 202, and the control unit 300 may be directly connected to each other by, for example, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable or the like.

[0016] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the appearance of the automatic pollination device 1 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2A shows the appearance of the automatic pollination device 1 and the configuration of the pollination unit 100. In FIG. 2A, the left figure shows the overall appearance of the automatic pollination device 1, and the right figure shows the appearance of the pollination unit 100. FIG. 2B shows an example of the appearance according to another configuration of the automatic pollination device 1.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 2A, the automatic pollination device 1 includes a main body 106, a pollination unit 100 (operating mechanism), an arm 102 disposed on the main body 106, a drive unit (not shown) that drives the arm to be movable, and a traveling unit (not shown) that causes the automatic pollination device 1 to travel. The traveling unit may be, for example, wheels installed on the lower surface of the automatic pollination device 1 for traveling on the ground, or may be wheels movable on a rail.

[0018] The pollination unit 100 is mounted at the tip of the arm 102. The second camera 202 is mounted on the pollination unit 100 (that is, the tip of the arm 102), but may be mounted on the arm 102. The first camera 201 is mounted on the main body 106. That is, the second camera 202 moves in conjunction with the operation of the arm 102, while the first camera 201 is not linked to the operation of the arm 102. However, the first camera 201 may be mounted on the arm 102.

[0019] In addition, in the present disclosure, a configuration for identifying a flower to be pollinated, stamens, pistils, etc. based on the imaging data of the first camera 201, the second camera 202, etc. is disclosed as an example, but is not limited thereto. For example, it may be identified by a non-optical method based on an RFID tag or the like provided on a flower, stamens, pistils, etc. In addition, a flower to be pollinated, stamens, pistils, etc. may be identified based on a smell sensor, a pollen sensor, or the like.

[0020] FIG. 2B shows an example in which, in the configuration shown in FIG. 2A, the pollination unit 100 further has a drive mechanism 101 that is movable in the axial direction of the brahma 12. For example, assume that the automatic pollination device 1 moves the pollination unit 100 to the vicinity of the flower to be pollinated by driving the arm 102. When determining the angle at which the pollination unit 100 enters the flower, assume that the control unit 300 drives the arm 102 to tilt the brahma 12 of the pollination unit 100 at a predetermined angle with respect to the flower. The control unit 300 can bring the brahma 12 into contact with the flower along the axial direction of the brahma 12 by driving the drive mechanism 101. Thereby, the brahma 12 can be brought into contact with the flower at a desired angle and at a desired position.

[0021] As shown in Fig. 2A, the pollination part 100 is provided at the tip of the movable arm 102 and contacts the flower of the plant to perform the pollination process. The pollination part 100 has a fibrous member provided at the tip for contacting the flower of the plant, such as the tip of a feather duster having a soft tip like a feather material. Specifically, the pollination part 100 is composed of the Brahma 12. As shown in Figs. 4A and 4B, the Brahma 12 is composed of three Brahmas (the first pollination part, the second pollination part, the third pollination part), namely the first Brahma 121, the second Brahma 122, and the third Brahma 123. Note that the number of Brahmas (pollination parts) does not necessarily have to be three, and it may be less than three or more than three. The pollination process is performed by bringing the Brahma 12 into contact with the stamens, pistils, etc. of the flower. However, in the pollination process, if the Brahma 12 is large, it may be difficult to appropriately bring the Brahma 12 into contact with the stamens, pistils, etc. because it contacts obstacles such as leaves and petals. Even in such a case, by combining a plurality of relatively small Brahmas to form the Brahma 12, it is possible to more effectively bring the pollination part 100 (Brahma 12) into contact with the stamens and pistils of the flower without interfering with obstacles such as leaves and petals. The first Brahma 121, the second Brahma 122, and the third Brahma 123 are respectively supported by the first arm 124, the second arm 125, and the third arm 126 extending from the motor 113. That is, the first Brahma 121, the second Brahma 122, and the third Brahma 123 are respectively provided at the tips of the first arm 124, the second arm 125, and the third arm 126, and the other ends of the first arm 124, the second arm 125, and the third arm 126 are connected to the motor 113. Note that the other ends of the first arm 124, the second arm 125, and the third arm 126 do not necessarily have to be connected to a single motor 113, and they may be connected to different motors respectively. In the present disclosure, the first Brahma 121, the second Brahma 122, and the third Brahma 123 are arranged adjacent to each other so as to surround a predetermined area 127 (arranged side by side in a circular shape). The predetermined area 127 is formed as a space recessed compared to the front end surfaces of the first Brahma 121, the second Brahma 122, and the third Brahma 123 with respect to the entry direction during the pollination process of the Brahma 12 (the direction of the flower, stamen, pistil, etc., the direction in which the operating mechanism extends). Also, the first Brahma 121, the second Brahma 122, and the third Brahma 123 may be provided at different positions with respect to the entry direction of the pollination unit 100 by the drive of the arm 102. For example, it is preferable that the entry direction of the pollination unit 100 by the drive of the arm 102 is substantially the same as the extension direction of the first arm 124, the second arm 125, and the third arm 126. In this case, in the extension direction of the first arm 124, the second arm 125, and the third arm 126, the first Brahma 121, the second Brahma 122, and the third Brahma 123 are provided at different positions. For example, it can be realized by making the lengths of the first arm 124, the second arm 125, and the third arm 126 different from each other. In this way, with respect to the entry direction of the pollination unit 100, the front end surfaces of the first Brahma 121, the second Brahma 122, and the third Brahma 123 are at different positions, and a configuration in which steps are provided by the front end surfaces of the first Brahma 121, the second Brahma 122, and the third Brahma 123 may be adopted. Thereby, it becomes possible to make the Brahma 12 contact the flower, stamen, and pistil more effectively, and pollination can be performed more effectively. For example, in the present disclosure, the first Brahma 121 may be configured to be provided at a position farther from the arm 102 than the second Brahma 122 and the third Brahma 123. Thereby, the contact mode of the first Brahma 121, the second Brahma 122, and the third Brahma 123 with respect to the pistil can be made better, and pollination of the plant can be performed more effectively. The pollination unit 100 performs a pollination process by bringing the fiber of the Brahma 12 as the fibrous member into contact with the flower of the plant. For example, the pollination unit 100 includes the Brahma 12, a motor 113, a light emitting unit 112, and a second camera 202. The pollination unit 100 brings the Brahma 12 into contact with the pistil and stamen of the flower to be pollinated according to the control of the control unit 300. Specifically, the operating mechanism is controlled so that the Brahma 12 contacts the pistil of the flower to be pollinated by moving the first Brahma 121, the second Brahma 122, and the third Brahma 123 so that the pistil is surrounded (included) by the pistil in a predetermined area 127. A damper may be provided between the motor 113 and the arm 102 or the main body 106 to suppress the vibration of the motor 113. Thereby, the vibration of the motor 113 can be suppressed from being transmitted to the arm 102 or the main body 106 and only transmitted to the pollination unit 100. By effectively transmitting the vibration of the motor 113 to the pollination unit 100, pollination of the plant can be performed more effectively.

[0022] The Brahma 12 is configured to arrange fibers in a predetermined shape based on the position of the axis of the motor 113. In the illustrated example, it is configured as a circular member with respect to the axis of the motor 113 and fibers are provided on the member. That is, the Brahma 12 has a configuration in which fibers are arranged on a circular outer periphery with the position of the axis as the origin. That is, the Brahma 12 is composed of an axis and a plurality of fibers provided on the outer peripheral portion of the axis. Note that the area where the fibers are arranged may be larger than the area of the axis, or may be about the same as or smaller than the area of the axis. In the Brahma 12, in addition to arranging the fibers on the circular outer periphery, they may be spread out and arranged in a circular shape. Also, in the Brahma 12, the fibers may be arranged in a shape other than a circle (such as a polygon). The control unit 300 identifies the position of the pistil in the captured image based on the captured image of the second camera 202. The light emitting unit 112 is, for example, an LED (light emitting diode). The control unit 300 may also control whether to cause the light emitting unit 112 to emit light according to information such as the brightness of the captured image captured by the second camera 202. Thereby, a clearer captured image can be obtained by the second camera. Then, the pollination unit 100 uniformly adheres the pollen to the pistil evenly while vibrating the fiber portion of the Brahma 12 with the motor 113 along the pollen on the stamen. Also, the pollination unit 100 can be moved in the vertical and horizontal directions while contacting the pistil of the flower.

[0023] Preferably, the size and shape of the pollination part 100 may be designed according to the form (structure, shape, size, flower structure, shape, size, etc.) of the flower to be pollinated. The arrangement of the first Brahma 121, the second Brahma 122, and the third Brahma 123 may be designed according to the form (structure, shape, size, flower structure, shape, size, etc.) of the flower to be pollinated. At least one of the amplitude, frequency, and vibration direction when vibrating the pollination part 100 may be controlled according to the form of the flower to be pollinated. At least one of the size, shape, and arrangement of the operating mechanism may be designed according to the form (structure, shape, size, flower structure, shape, size, etc.) of the target plant. At least one of the amplitude, frequency, and vibration direction when vibrating the operating mechanism may be controlled according to the form (structure, shape, size, flower structure, shape, size, etc.) of the target plant.

[0024] In addition, the pollination part 100 may perform the pollination process by rotating in contact with the flower, tracing the flower, and applying vibration to the flower. As long as the pollen can be attached to the pistil without damaging the flower, only one of the above operations may be performed as the pollination process, or two or more operations may be performed simultaneously, or another operation may be performed.

[0025] In FIG. 2, an example in which the pollination part 100 is composed of Brahma is shown, but it is not limited thereto. The pollination part 100 may be composed of a shaft and a scraping part thicker than the shaft part. For example, the pollination part 100 may be realized by a material such as a cotton swab, in which the above scraping part is composed of a member having the same elasticity or rigidity as the shaft part. In addition, the pollination part 100 may be composed of a material such as a brush having a fibrous member, for example, in which the above scraping part is composed of a member having different elasticity, rigidity, and density from the shaft part. Alternatively, the pollination part 100 may be constituted only by the scraping part instead of the upper shaft part. The control part 300 moves the scraping part of the pollination part 100 in the vertical and horizontal directions while contacting the stamen of the flower as a pollination process. That is, as the form of the pollination part 100, any form can be used as long as it can attach pollen to the pistil without damaging the flower. Also, the motor 113 may be configured to be able to rotate the pollination part 100. Specifically, the motor 113 may execute control to rotate each of the first rotating member 121, the second rotating member 122, and the third rotating member 123, or may control the entire rotating member 12 composed of the first rotating member 121, the second rotating member 122, and the third rotating member 123 so that the first rotating member 121, the second rotating member 122, and the third rotating member 123 rotate around the periphery of the predetermined region 127. The same applies to the second embodiment and the third embodiment. Thereby, compared with the case where the tip of the pollination part contacts the pistil, the contact of the pollination part with the stamen and pistil becomes softer, and it is possible to suppress damage to the stamen and pistil, which are structurally fragile.

[0026] When moving the scraping part of the pollination part 100 while contacting the stamen of the flower, by moving the part in contact with the stamen so as to contact the pistil, the pollen of the stamen adheres to the pistil, and pollination can be performed more effectively.

[0027] At the tip of the movable arm 102, when performing a predetermined operation on a predetermined part of the plant in the operation step, a separation suppressing part is provided for suppressing the operation mechanism from separating from the predetermined part of the plant. The separation suppressing part is composed of a guide member formed in a cylindrical shape. When a separation prevention part is provided at the tip of the arm 102, the Brahma 12 may be composed of a single Brahma instead of being composed of a plurality of Brahmas. By providing the separation prevention part, even in the case of a relatively large Brahma 12 where the Brahma 12 interferes with an obstacle such as a leaf or a petal, it is possible to effectively bring the pollination part 100 (Brahma 12) into contact with the stamens and pistils of the flower. When a plurality of Brahmas and a guide member are combined, the operating mechanism becomes large, and the guide member may damage the plant or the flower by coming into contact with the plant or the petals. When combined with the guide member, it is preferable to combine it with a single Brahma. Specifically, when the Brahma 12 of the pollination part 100 contacts the pistil, the flower may escape in the direction away from the pollination part 100 due to the Brahma 12 contacting the petals around the pistil. The guide member 131 is formed in a cylindrical shape and can suppress the flower from escaping in the direction away from the pollination part 100. In particular, in the present disclosure, the pollination part 100 is composed of a plurality of first Brahmas 121, second Brahmas 122, and third Brahmas 123, and is formed in a shape larger than that of the pistil, and the Brahma 12 is likely to contact the petals when the Brahma 12 contacts the pistil. Therefore, by providing a separation prevention part so that the flower does not escape in the direction away from the pollination part 100 when attaching pollen to the pistil, pollination of the plant can be performed more effectively.

[0028] The configuration of the guide member 131 will be described. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the guide member 131 provided in the pollination part 100. FIG. 6A is a top view of the guide member 131, and FIG. 6B is a side view of the guide member 131. The guide member 131 is connected to the motor 113 so as to surround the arm of the Brahma 12. Note that the guide member 131 does not need to be provided on the motor 113 and may be provided at any position including the tip of the arm 102. The guide member 131 is formed in a conical shape so as to expand from the arm 102 toward the tip of the pollination unit 100, and is formed such that the Brahma 12 is located inside the cone. Note that the guide member 131 does not necessarily have to be conical, and may be formed in a cylindrical shape such that the Brahma 12 is located inside. By forming the guide member 131 in a conical shape that expands toward the tip of the pollination unit 100, the size of the guide member 131 at the tip of the arm 102 can be made smaller than the size of the guide member 131 at the tip of the pollination unit 100, so that the root portion (connection portion with the arm 102) of the other guide member 131 can be prevented from interfering with other plants, flowers, etc. The guide member 131 is provided with slits 1311, 1312, 1313, 1314 formed by voids on the outer periphery. Thereby, the weight of the guide member 131 can be reduced. In the present disclosure, the guide member 131 has been described as an example formed in a conical and cylindrical shape, but is not limited thereto. The guide member 131 is formed such that the Brahma 12 is located inside, and is allowed to be formed in any shape that can suppress the escape of the flower in a direction away from the pollination unit 100.

[0029] The first camera 201 is for identifying a flower and specifying the position of the flower. Specifically, the first camera 201 is a device that automatically discriminates a flower, focuses on the flower part, takes a photograph, and generates image data according to the control of the control unit 300. The first camera 201 is constituted by, for example, a digital camera including a photographing device such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) and a conversion device that converts the photographed image into image data. Further, the first camera 201 detects the distance and angle to the photographed flower by a sensor such as an infrared sensor or a depth sensor, and further calculates the distance and angle from the pollination unit 100 to the flower. The data acquired by the first camera 201 is used by the control unit 300.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 2, the first camera 201 is mounted on the main body 106 of the automatic pollination device 1. The first camera 201 can take pictures while moving in at least one of the vertical, horizontal, and front-rear directions so as to acquire images of the entire plant at the tip side of the arm and each flower.

[0031] Also preferably, based on the image data captured by the first camera 201, using a deep learning method, it may be recognized whether the flower is blooming or in full bloom, that is, whether it is suitable for pollination, based on the degree of opening of the petals. In this case, the automatic pollination device 1 performs the pollination process only on the flowers that are suitable for pollination.

[0032] The second camera 202 is for acquiring the contact situation between the flower and the pollination unit 100. Specifically, the second camera 202 is a device that generates image data by photographing at least the flower or both the pollination unit 100 and the flower when the pollination unit 100 is performing the pollination process. The control unit 300 detects the positional relationship between the pollination unit 100 and the flower based on the captured image of the second camera 202. The second camera 202 is composed of, for example, a digital camera including a photographing device such as an RGB camera and a conversion device that converts the photographed image into image data. The control unit 300 determines whether the pollination unit 100 and the flower are in contact, that is, whether the flower has been pollinated, based on the photographed data generated by the second camera 202.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 2, the second camera 202 is disposed near the pollination unit 100 at the tip of the movable arm 102. Such an arrangement is for taking pictures at a position close to the pollination unit 100 and the flower when the pollination unit 100 is performing the pollination process to obtain highly accurate images.

[0034] Also preferably, using a deep learning method, the contact time between the pollination unit 100 and the flower is measured from the image data captured by the second camera 202, and when the contact time is equal to or longer than a predetermined time, it may be determined that the flower has been pollinated.

[0035] The control unit 300 is a device that controls the operations of the pollination unit 100, the first camera 201, and the second camera 202 so as to control the pollination process, and is configured by, for example, a device including various computers and server devices. Specifically, based on the captured image of the first camera 201, the control unit 300 drives the arm 102 to move the pollination unit 100 to the flower to be pollinated, and based on the captured image of the second camera 202, determines whether the flower and the pollination unit 100 are in contact. If it is determined that they are not in contact, the control unit 300 controls to move the pollination unit 100 to the flower again to perform the pollination process. When the control unit 300 is configured by a server device, it is not limited to a single server device operating alone, and may be configured by a distributed server system that cooperates by communicating via the network NW or a cloud server.

[0036] The control unit 300 includes a communication means 310, a storage means 320, and a control means 330.

[0037] The communication means 310 is a communication interface for performing wired or wireless communication with the pollination unit 100, the first camera 201, and the second camera 202 via the network NW, and any communication protocol may be used as long as mutual communication can be executed. This communication means 310 communicates, for example, according to a communication protocol such as TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol).

[0038] The storage means 320 stores programs for executing various control processes and each function in the control means 330, input data, etc., and is configured by, for example, a memory including RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), etc., and a storage including HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), flash memory, etc. Further, the storage means 320 temporarily stores data communicated with the pollination unit 100, the first camera 201, and the second camera 202, and data generated in each process described later.

[0039] The control means 330 reads the program stored in the storage means 320 and executes the instructions included in the program to control the overall operation of the control unit 300. The control means 330 is composed of, for example, devices including a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), a microprocessor, a processor core, a multiprocessor, an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), etc. As functions of the control means 330, an operation control module 331 and a contact determination module 332 are provided.

[0040] Based on the captured image of the first camera 201, the operation control module 331 moves the pollination unit 100 to the flower to be pollinated and performs a pollination process. Specifically, the operation control module 331 moves the pollination unit 100 by a predetermined distance at a predetermined angle based on the flower data acquired by the first camera 201 so as to come into contact with the flower. For example, the pollination unit 100 has a Brahma, and the operation control module 331 uniformly attaches the pollen evenly to the pistil while tracing the pollen on the stamen while vibrating the fiber portion of the Brahma.

[0041] In addition, when the contact determination module 332, which will be described later, determines that the pollination unit 100 and the flower are not in contact, the operation control module 331 moves the pollination unit 100 to the flower again and performs a pollination process.

[0042] The contact determination module 332 determines whether the flower and the pollination part 100 are in contact based on the captured image of the second camera 202. Specifically, the contact determination module 332 determines whether the pollination part 100 and the flower are in contact when the pollination part 100 is performing the pollination process, that is, whether the flower has been pollinated, based on the positional relationship between the pollination part 100 and the flower detected by the second camera 202. <Flow of the process>

[0043] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 3 to 7, the flow of the process of the automatic pollination device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. FIG. 3 is an external view showing a situation where a flower is pollinated using the automatic pollination device 1 according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation of performing a pollination process by the automatic pollination device 1 according to the first embodiment.

[0044] In step S401, the control unit 300 executes a location identification step of identifying a predetermined location of the plant. Specifically, the control unit 300 identifies the flower and specifies the position of the flower based on the captured image of the first camera 201. The first camera 201 automatically discriminates the flower and focuses on the flower part for shooting, and detects the distance and angle to the captured flower by a sensor such as an infrared sensor or a depth sensor, and further calculates the distance and angle from the pollination part 100 to the flower.

[0045] The location identification step identifies the pistil of a predetermined flower. The location identification step is a step of identifying the stamen of the first flower and the pistil of the second flower. The location identification step is a step of identifying a predetermined location of the plant based on the image of the plant captured by the imaging mechanism. Specifically, the control unit 300 identifies the stamens and pistils of the flower based on the image data captured by the first camera 201. Note that the control unit 300 may identify the positions of the stamens and pistils of each of a plurality of flowers such as the stamens of the first flower and the pistils of the second flower.

[0046] <Obstacle identification step> The control unit executes an obstacle identification step of identifying an obstacle when the operating mechanism performs a predetermined operation on a predetermined location of the plant in the operation step. Specifically, the control unit 300 calculates a path (reach path) for bringing the pollination unit 100 into contact with the stamen and pistil based on the positions of the identified stamen and pistil from the position of the pollination unit 100. Specifically, the control unit 300 identifies the shape, size, position, content (such as branches, leaves, and other obstacles that can be excluded or not) of obstacles such as branches, leaves, petals, and any other objects existing between the position of the pollination unit 100 and the positions of the stamen and pistil. The control unit 300 calculates a path for moving the pollination unit 100 to the positions of the stamen and pistil while avoiding obstacles. Note that the calculation of the path may use machine learning, deep learning, or any other artificial intelligence technology. The control unit 300 may calculate a path for moving the pollination unit 100 to the positions of the stamen and pistil while avoiding obstacles, considering only the obstacles that cannot be excluded and ignoring the obstacles that can be excluded. By excluding the obstacles that can be excluded by the obstacle exclusion step described later, a reach path may be formed.

[0047] <Obstacle Exclusion Step> The control unit executes an obstacle exclusion step of excluding the obstacles identified in the obstacle identification step. After the obstacles are excluded in the obstacle exclusion step, the operation step performs a predetermined operation on a predetermined location of the plant. Specifically, the control unit 300 excludes the obstacles identified in the obstacle identification step by using the arm 102 or other arms (not shown). For example, by moving the arm 102, a part of the arm 102 may be brought into contact with and moved along the obstacles around the stamen and pistil to exclude the obstacles. Also, by bringing a part of the arm 102 into contact with and moving it along the flower, a new reach path for bringing the pollination unit 100 into contact with the stamen and pistil may be formed. In this way, the control unit 300 forms an access path for bringing the pollination unit into contact with the stamen and pistil by excluding obstacles included in the access path or changing the path of the access path. Note that when the control unit 300 cannot form an access path, it may skip the pollination process for the specified stamen and pistil. In this case, the control unit 300 continues to perform the pollination process for the stamens and pistils of other flowers. Also, the operation steps after step S402 may be executed after the obstacles are excluded in the obstacle exclusion step.

[0048] Also, the first camera 201 transmits various generated data to the control unit 300.

[0049] <Charging step> The control unit executes a charging step of charging one or more pollination units. Specifically, the control unit 300 moves the arm 102 and rubs the brahma 12 against a fluororesin plate (not shown) provided near the arm 102 and at a position where the brahma 12 can be contacted, thereby charging the brahma 12 positively. By charging the brahma 12, it is possible to more easily attract the pollen of the stamen. Thereby, pollination of the plant can be performed more effectively. Note that as a material for charging the brahma 12 positively, any material that is likely to be negatively charged, such as silicon, Teflon (registered trademark), polyvinyl chloride, cellophane, polyethylene, polypropylene, acrylic, polyester, polyurethane, platinum, polystyrene, rubber, gold, nickel, silver, copper, iron, ebonite, chromium, etc., can be used. Similarly, the brahma 12 can use any material that is likely to be positively charged, such as feathers, wool, human hair, hair of animals, etc., and fibers such as nylon, rayon, polyester, hemp, silk, plants, etc. Also, the pollination unit 100 may be configured using materials other than fibers such as glass, mica, lead, and wood. Also, the operation steps after step S402 may perform a predetermined operation of bringing one or more pollination units into contact with the pistil of a predetermined flower after charging one or more pollination units in the charging step.

[0050] In step S402, the control unit causes the operating mechanism to execute an operation step of performing a predetermined operation on a predetermined location of the plant identified in the location identification step. The operation step is to perform a predetermined operation of bringing one or more pollination parts into contact with the pistil of a predetermined flower so that the one or more pollination parts surround the pistil of the predetermined flower. The operation step includes a vibration step of vibrating the operating mechanism. Specifically, based on the captured image of the first camera 201, the control unit 300 moves the pollination part 100 to the flower to be pollinated by means of the arm 102 or the like to perform a pollination process. The control unit 300 moves the pollination part 100 at a predetermined angle and a predetermined distance based on the flower data acquired by the first camera 201 so as to come into contact with the flower. For example, the pollination part 100 has a Brahma 12. As a pollination process, the control unit 300 controls the motor 113 to uniformly attach the pollen evenly to the pistil while tracing the pollen on the stamen while vibrating the fiber part of the Brahma 12.

[0051] Details of the pollination process will be described in detail below.

[0052] <Pollination Process (First Embodiment)> The operation step includes a step of not vibrating the one or more pollination parts until the one or more pollination parts come into contact with the pistil of a predetermined flower, and a step of vibrating the one or more pollination parts when or after the one or more pollination parts come into contact with the pistil of a predetermined flower. Specifically, until the pollination unit 100 comes into contact with the flower, the control unit 300 controls the motor 113 to prevent the fiber portion of the Brahma 12 from vibrating. The control unit 300 controls the arm 102 to move so as to gently bring the Brahma 12 into contact with the flower without vibrating it. The control unit 300 moves the arm 102 along the reach path identified in step S401 to move the Brahma 12 into contact with the flower. When the control unit 300 determines that the pollination unit 100 is in contact with the flower based on the captured image of the first camera 201 or the second camera 202, the control unit 300 controls the motor 113 to vibrate the fiber portion of the Brahma 12. If vibration occurs before the pollination unit 100 comes into contact with the flower, it may come into contact with leaves or other flowers around the flower, pushing away the flower to be pollinated, causing the flower to escape in a direction away from the pollination unit 100. Also, if vibration occurs before the pollination unit 100 comes into contact with the flower, it may damage the stamens of the flower. In particular, when the flower to be pollinated is smaller than the pollination unit 100, the flower often escapes in a direction away from the pollination unit 100. The control unit 300 can suppress the flower from escaping in a direction away from the pollination unit 100 by vibrating the pollination unit 100 when it comes into contact with the flower or after contact. Also, damage to the stamens by the pollination unit 100 can be suppressed. Thereby, pollination of the plant can be performed more effectively.

[0053] <Pollination process (second embodiment)> In the operation step, when at least one of the three or more pollination units comes into contact with the pistil of a predetermined flower, or after contact, the pollination unit is vibrated at the second intensity. Specifically, the control unit 300 controls to move the arm 102 to gently contact the flower without vibrating the Brahma 12. Based on the captured image of the first camera 201 or the second camera 202, when the control unit 300 determines that one of the plurality of Brahmas 12 (for example, the first Brahma 121) is in contact with the flower (in this case, the second Brahma 122 and the third Brahma 123 are not in contact with the flower), the control unit 300 controls the motor 113 to vibrate the fiber portion of the first Brahma 121 at the second intensity. For example, the control unit 300 controls the motor 113 with the second parameter so that the first Brahma 121 vibrates at the second intensity. The control unit 300 may control the first Brahma 121 to vibrate with the second amplitude, the second frequency, and the second vibration direction. In addition, the Brahma 12 including the first Brahma 121, the second Brahma 122, and the third Brahma 123 may be vibrated at the second intensity. The operation step is to vibrate the pollination part at the first intensity when at least two of the three or more pollination parts contact the pistil of a predetermined flower, or after the contact. The operation step is to vibrate the pollination part at the first intensity when the pistil of a predetermined flower is included in a predetermined area. Specifically, based on the captured image of the first camera 201 or the second camera 202, when the control unit 300 determines that two or more of the plurality of Brahmas 12 (for example, the first Brahma 121, the second Brahma 122, and the third Brahma 123) are in contact with the flower, the control unit 300 controls the motor 113 to vibrate the fiber portion of the Brahma 12 at the first intensity. Similarly, based on the captured image of the first camera 201 or the second camera 202, when the control unit 300 determines that the pistil of the flower is surrounded (included) in a predetermined area 127 surrounded by the first Brahma 121, the second Brahma 122, and the third Brahma 123, the control unit 300 may control the motor 113 to vibrate the fiber portion of the Brahma 12 at the first intensity. In this case, the first intensity is greater than the second intensity. Specifically, at least one of the amplitude and the frequency at the first intensity is greater than the amplitude and the frequency at the second intensity. For example, the control unit 300 controls the motor 113 with the first parameter so that the Brahma 12 vibrates at the first intensity. The control unit 300 may control the Brahma 12 to vibrate with the first amplitude, the first frequency, and the first vibration direction. In addition, in the pollination process (second embodiment), in the operation step, the control unit 300 selectively vibrates the pollination unit 100 (Brahma 12) at either the first intensity or the second intensity. Specifically, when none of the plurality of Brahmas 12 are in contact with the flower, the control unit controls the motor 113 so as not to vibrate the Brahma 12. When it is determined that one of the plurality of Brahmas 12 is in contact with the flower, the control unit controls the motor 113 to vibrate the Brahma 12 at the second intensity. When it is determined that at least two or more of the plurality of Brahmas 12 are in contact with the flower, the control unit controls the motor 113 to vibrate the Brahma 12 at the first intensity. Thereby, while suppressing the flower from escaping in the direction away from the pollination unit 100, pollination of the plant can be performed more effectively.

[0054] Further, when the pollination unit 100 is charged, the pollination unit 100 can make it easier to adsorb the pollen of the stamens arranged around the pistil. That is, the pollination unit 100 more effectively adsorbs the pollen of the stamens. When the pollination unit 100 comes into contact with the pistil, the pollination unit 100 discharges and releases the adsorbed pollen to the pistil. Thereby, uneven pollination of the pistil by the pollination unit 100 can be reduced, and pollination of the plant can be performed more effectively.

[0055] In step S403, the second camera 202 acquires the contact situation between the flower and the pollination unit. Specifically, when the pollination unit 100 is performing the pollination process, the second camera 202 photographs both the pollination unit 100 and the flower to detect the positional relationship between the pollination unit 100 and the flower. In addition, the second camera 202 transmits the generated various data to the control unit 300.

[0056] In step S404, the control unit 300 determines whether the flower and the pollination unit are in contact based on the captured image of the second camera. Specifically, the control unit 300 determines whether the pollination unit 100 and the flower are in contact when the pollination unit 100 is performing the pollination process, that is, whether the flower has been pollinated, based on the positional relationship between the pollination unit 100 and the flower detected by the second camera 202.

[0057] In step S404, if it is determined that the pollination unit 100 and the flower are in contact, it is assumed that the pollination of this flower is completed, and the process proceeds to the pollination process of the next flower. On the other hand, if it is determined that the pollination unit 100 and the flower are not in contact, the process returns to the process of step S401, and the pollination unit 100 is moved to this flower again to perform the pollination process.

[0058] Also, although not shown, the control unit 300 may store the position of the flower determined to be in contact as a pollinated position. Specifically, the pollinated position may be stored as a three-dimensional position based on the position of the automatic pollination device 1 (for example, GPS position) and the movement information of the pollination unit 100. In this way, the automatic pollination device 1 can improve the efficiency of the pollination process by performing the pollination process from step S401 to step S404 only on the flowers other than the pollinated position based on the stored pollinated position information. <Effect>

[0059] As described above, according to the present embodiment, the control unit moves the pollination unit to the flower to be pollinated based on the captured image of the first camera to perform the pollination process, and determines whether the flower and the pollination unit are in contact based on the captured image of the second camera. When it is determined that they are not in contact, the pollination unit is moved to the flower again to perform the pollination process.

[0060] Thereby, without relying on bees and manual labor, the flowers of plants can be automatically and more reliably pollinated, so that the efficiency of the pollination work can be improved and the cost can be reduced in a plant factory or the like.

[0061] In addition, since the flowers can be pollinated more reliably, it is possible to prevent poor fruit set and the occurrence of deformed fruits due to poor pollination, and improve the fruit production volume and the excellent product rate.

[0062] In addition, as in the present embodiment, based on the captured image of the first camera 201 installed separately from the pollination unit 100 and the arm 102, which are mechanisms for bringing the Brahma 12 into contact with the flowers, while identifying the flowers to be pollinated, regarding whether the Brahma 12 is in contact with the flowers (that is, whether pollination can be performed), the determination is made based on the captured image of the second camera 202 installed at a position close to the Brahma 12. Thereby, the accuracy of pollinating the flowers can be further improved.

[0063] <Second Embodiment> The second embodiment of the present disclosure relates to an automatic pollination device that controls the pollination process according to the shape of the fruit to be produced.

[0064] <Configuration> Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 8, the configuration of the automatic pollination device according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of the automatic pollination device according to the second embodiment.

[0065] As shown in FIG. 8, the automatic pollination device according to the second embodiment has the same configuration as the automatic pollination device according to the first embodiment, except that the contact location information 3201 is stored in the storage means 320 of the control unit 300.

[0066] The contact location information 3201 is information indicating the contact location where the pollination unit 100 is to be brought into contact with the pistils of the flowers according to the shape of the fruit to be produced. Specifically, as the contact location, for example, based on a three-dimensional coordinate system with the apex of the pistil at the center of the flower as the origin and a plane parallel to the plane passing through the pistil farthest from the center as the XY plane, it may be stored as a three-dimensional position.

[0067] FIG. 9 is a schematic top view of a flower when pollinating the flower using the automatic pollination device according to the second embodiment. In FIG. 9, the large circular figure on the outer periphery indicates the stamen 601 having pollen. In FIG. 9, the small figure (indicated by a dotted line) on the inner periphery is the pistil 602.

[0068] The control unit 300, for example, in order to create an oval fruit, specifies in advance the position information of the pistil that becomes the attachment destination of pollen during pollination, and stores it as the contact location information 3201. That is, the control unit 300 stores, as the contact location information 3201, the shape of the fruit to be created and the position of the pistil to which pollen is attached by the pollination unit 100 in association with each other. As the shape of the fruit to be created, for example, there are symmetric shapes such as an oval shape and a heart shape, but for non-symmetric shapes, it may also be possible to store the position information of the pistil that becomes the attachment destination of pollen in the contact location information 3201.

[0069] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the data structure of the contact location information 3201. As shown in FIG. 10, each record of the contact location information 3201 includes information such as the item "shape ID", the item "name of the shape", the item "position of the pistil to be pollinated", the item "sales amount · number of shipments", and the item "popularity".

[0070] The item "shape ID" is information for identifying each shape of the fruit to be created.

[0071] The item "name of the shape" indicates the name of the shape of the fruit to be created.

[0072] The item "position of the pistil to be pollinated" indicates the position to be pollinated (that is, the contact location where the pollination unit 100 is brought into contact) among the pistils of the flower according to the shape of the fruit to be created. In the contact location information 3201, the position to be pollinated among the pistils of the flower may be held as a three-dimensional position based on a three-dimensional coordinate system, or may be held as a two-dimensional position based on a plane such as a plane passing through the pistil with the apex of the pistil at the center of the flower as the origin.

[0073] The item "Sales Amount and Shipment Quantity" indicates at least one of the information on the sales amount and the shipment quantity recorded when the fruit's shape and the plant having the fruit's shape are shipped. That is, the item "Sales Amount and Shipment Quantity" is information indicating the sales performance.

[0074] The item "Popularity" is a parameter calculated to estimate the demand for each fruit shape. For example, an external computer device may calculate the parameter based on the number of posts on SNS (Social Networking Service), the Internet, etc. about the fruit shape (such as oval, heart-shaped), the number of uploaded images, and the performance of user reactions (such as conversion rate) to the images showing these fruit shapes.

[0075] Based on the above configuration and data, the automatic pollination device according to the second embodiment controls the pollination by bringing the bract 12 of the pollination unit 100 into contact with the flower in order to create a fruit having a specific shape. The control unit 300 identifies, for example, the black area shown in FIG. 9 as the position where the pollination unit 100 is to be brought into contact with the flower based on the captured image of the second camera 202 and the contact location information 3201, and moves the pollination unit 100 so as to bring the pollination unit 100 into contact with the black area.

[0076] Preferably, the size and shape of the pollination unit 100 may be designed according to the flower form and the contact location.

[0077] <Flow of Processing> Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 11, the flow of processing of the automatic pollination device according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the operation of performing the pollination process by the automatic pollination device according to the second embodiment.

[0078] In step S801, the control unit 300 stores in the storage unit in advance the information on the contact location where the pollination unit is to be brought into contact among the stamens of the flower according to the shape of the fruit to be created. Specifically, for example, the three-dimensional position described above is stored as the contact location information 3201.

[0079] In step S802, the control unit 300 identifies the position where the pollination unit 100 is to be brought into contact with the flower based on the captured image of the second camera 202 and the information on the contact location. Specifically, based on the captured image of the second camera 202, a three-dimensional coordinate system is created for each flower to be pollinated, and based on the information on the contact location, the contact location in the three-dimensional coordinate system is identified.

[0080] In step S803, the control unit 300 moves the pollination unit so as to bring the pollination unit 100 into contact with the identified position, and performs a pollination process. When it is determined that all the contact locations identified in step S802 have been contacted, the pollination of the flower is completed.

[0081] Although not shown for simplicity of explanation, in the second embodiment, similar to the first embodiment, processes for identifying the flower and specifying the position of the flower (including an obstacle identification step, an obstacle exclusion step, and a charging step), a process for moving the pollination unit 100 to the flower (a pollination process (first example), a pollination process (second example)), and a process for determining whether the flower and the pollination unit 100 are in contact are performed.

[0082] Further, the control unit 300 may identify the shape of the fruit to be produced based on the sales amount or the number of shipments of each shape of the fruit. For example, the control unit 300 calculates the unit sales price of each shape based on the sales amount and the number of shipments. For example, when the unit sales price of an oval fruit is higher than that of a fruit of a normal shape, the control unit 300 stores the information on the contact location corresponding to the oval fruit in the storage means.

[0083] In the description of the embodiment, information regarding the sales amount or the number of shipped fruits of each shape is described as being stored in the control unit 300 as contact location information 3201. In addition to this, it may be possible to manage the contact location information 3201 by an external computer device. The external computer device may transmit the contact location information 3201 to the control unit 300, and the control unit 300 may use the contact location information 3201. That is, the control unit 300 or another computer device different from the automatic pollination device 1 may determine the shape to be created.

[0084] <Effect> As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the pollination process can be performed according to the shape of the fruit to be created, it is possible to produce fruits of a popular shape and improve profitability.

[0085] Also, as described with reference to FIG. 2 and the like, based on the captured image of the second camera 202 located near the brahma 12, it is determined whether or not the brahma 12 has been contacted at the position where the brahma 12 should be contacted with respect to the stamen. Therefore, the possibility of creating fruits of a desired shape can be further enhanced.

[0086] <Third Embodiment> The third embodiment of the present disclosure relates to an automatic pollination system used in a plant factory.

[0087] <Configuration> Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 12, the configuration of the automatic pollination device according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a functional configuration of an automatic pollination system according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0088] As shown in FIG. 12, the automatic pollination system 4 according to the third embodiment includes an automatic pollination device 1, an identification device 2, and a movement route generation device 3. The automatic pollination device 1 and the identification device 2 are interconnected via a network NW.

[0089] The automatic pollination device 1 is the automatic pollination device described in the first or second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0090] The identification device 2 is, for example, a plurality of cameras installed above the plants, photographing the inside of the plant factory, and identifying the blooming flowers. The identification device 2 may preferably be arranged on the ceiling of the plant factory so as to grasp the overall situation of the plant factory.

[0091] The movement route generation device 3 generates the movement route of the automatic pollination device 1 based on the positions of the flowers identified by the identification device 2. For example, the movement route generation device 3 is a computer, calculates the shortest route for pollinating all the blooming flowers, and generates it as the movement route of the automatic pollination device 1. <Flow of processing>

[0092] Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 13, the processing flow of the automatic pollination system 4 according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the operation of pollinating the flowers in the plant factory by the automatic pollination system according to the third embodiment.

[0093] In step S1001, the identification device 2 photographs the inside of the plant factory and specifies the positions of the flowers to be pollinated. For example, the identification device 2 recognizes the photographed image data, specifies the blooming flowers as the flowers to be pollinated, and specifies the three-dimensional coordinates of the flowers in the three-dimensional coordinate system based on the plant factory.

[0094] In step S1002, the movement route generation device 3 generates the movement route of the automatic pollination device 1 based on the positions of the flowers to be pollinated. Further, the movement route generation device 3 transmits the generated movement route to the automatic pollination device 1 via the network NW.

[0095] In step S1003, the automatic pollination device 1 moves according to the movement route and performs the pollination process. Specifically, the process described in Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2 is performed.

[0096] Further, although not shown, the automatic pollination system may control the movement route of the automatic pollination device 1, the date and time for performing the pollination process, and the number of flowers to be pollinated according to the number of fruit orders. Thereby, the pollination process can be carried out systematically according to the number of orders, and fruits can be produced.

[0097] <Effect> As described above, according to the automatic pollination system of the present embodiment, while grasping the overall state inside the facility, the automatic pollination device can be moved along the optimal route, and the pollination work can be efficiently performed. Therefore, the number of required automatic pollination devices can be reduced, and the cost of the pollination work can be further reduced.

[0098] <Supplementary Note> The matters described in each of the above embodiments are appended below.

[0099] (Supplementary Note 1) An agricultural support system including an operating mechanism that comes into contact with a plant and performs a predetermined operation, and a control unit, wherein the control unit executes a location identification step of identifying a predetermined location of the plant, and an operation step of causing the operating mechanism to perform a predetermined operation on the predetermined location of the plant identified in the location identification step, and the operation step is a step of causing the operating mechanism to perform a predetermined operation so as to surround the predetermined location of the plant. Thereby, the operation on a predetermined location of the plant can be performed more effectively. Compared with the case where the tip of the pollination part comes into contact with a predetermined location, the contact of the pollination part with the predetermined location becomes softer, and damage to the predetermined location of the plant can be suppressed.

[0100] (Supplementary Note 2) The operating mechanism is composed of one or more pollination parts, the location identification step is a step of identifying the pistil of a predetermined flower, and the operation step is a step of performing a predetermined operation of bringing one or more pollination parts into contact with the pistil of a predetermined flower so that one or more pollination parts surround the pistil of the predetermined flower, in the agricultural support system according to Supplementary Note 1. As a result, pollen can be uniformly attached to the pistil of the flower, and pollination of the plant can be performed more effectively.

[0101] (Appendix 3) The operation steps include a step of not vibrating one or more pollination parts until the one or more pollination parts come into contact with the pistil of a predetermined flower, and a step of vibrating the one or more pollination parts when the one or more pollination parts come into contact with the pistil of the predetermined flower or after the contact. The agricultural support system according to Appendix 2. As a result, pollination of the plant can be performed more effectively, and damage to the plant and stamens can be suppressed.

[0102] (Appendix 4) The operation steps include a vibration step of vibrating the operation mechanism, and the operation steps include a vibration control step of controlling at least one of the amplitude, frequency, and vibration direction when vibrating the operation mechanism according to the plant. The agricultural support system according to Appendix 1. As a result, pollination of the plant can be performed more effectively according to the structure, shape, size of the plant, and the structure, shape, size of the flower.

[0103] (Appendix 5) The operation mechanism is composed of three or more pollination parts arranged so as to surround a predetermined area. The agricultural support system according to Appendix 2. By operating the pollination part so as to surround the pistil, pollination of the plant can be performed more effectively. Compared with the case where the tip of the pollination part comes into contact with the pistil, the contact of the pollination part with the pistil becomes softer, and damage to the pistil and pistil, which are structurally fragile, can be suppressed.

[0104] (Appendix 6) The operation mechanism includes a first pollination part and a second pollination part, and the first position of the first pollination part is provided at a position different from the second position of the second pollination part in the extending direction of the operation mechanism. The agricultural support system according to Appendix 5. As a result, pollination of the plant can be performed more effectively.

[0105] (Appendix 7) The agricultural support system according to Appendix 6, wherein the first pollination part and the second pollination part are provided at a first position and a second position according to the plant. Thereby, pollination of the plant can be performed more effectively according to the structure, shape, size, flower structure, shape, and size of the plant.

[0106] (Appendix 8) The agricultural support system according to Appendix 5, wherein the operation step includes a step of vibrating the pollination part at a first intensity when at least two of the three or more pollination parts contact the pistil of a predetermined flower or after the contact. Thereby, pollination of the plant can be performed more effectively. Damage to the plant and stamens can be suppressed.

[0107] (Appendix 9) The agricultural support system according to Appendix 5, wherein the operation step includes a step of vibrating the pollination part at a first intensity when the pistil of a predetermined flower is included in a predetermined area. Thereby, pollination of the plant can be performed more effectively. Damage to the plant and stamens can be suppressed.

[0108] (Appendix 10) The agricultural support system according to Appendix 8 or 9, wherein the operation step includes a step of vibrating the pollination part at a second intensity when at least one of the three or more pollination parts contacts the pistil of a predetermined flower or after the contact, and the operation step is a step of selectively vibrating the pollination part at either the first intensity or the second intensity, and the first intensity is greater than the second intensity. Thereby, pollination of the plant can be performed more effectively. Damage to the plant and stamens can be suppressed.

[0109] (Appendix 11) The operating mechanism is composed of one or more pollination parts. The location identification step is a step of identifying the pistil of a predetermined flower. The control unit executes a charging step of charging one or more pollination parts, and the operation step is a step of performing a predetermined operation of bringing one or more pollination parts into contact with the pistil of a predetermined flower after charging one or more pollination parts in the charging step. The agricultural support system described in Supplementary Note 1. Thereby, pollination of plants can be performed more effectively.

[0110] (Supplementary Note 12) The operating mechanism is composed of one or more pollination parts. The location identification step is a step of identifying the stamen of the first flower and the pistil of the second flower. The operation step is a step of performing a predetermined operation so that one or more pollination parts are brought into contact with the pistil of the second flower after bringing one or more pollination parts into contact with the stamen of the first flower. The agricultural support system described in Supplementary Note 1. Thereby, pollination of plants can be performed more effectively.

[0111] (Supplementary Note 13) The control unit executes an obstacle identification step of identifying an obstacle when the operating mechanism performs a predetermined operation on a predetermined location of a plant in the operation step, and an obstacle exclusion step of excluding the obstacle identified in the obstacle identification step. The operation step is a step of performing a predetermined operation on a predetermined location of a plant after the obstacle is excluded in the obstacle exclusion step. The agricultural support system described in Supplementary Note 1. Thereby, pollination of plants can be performed more effectively.

[0112] (Supplementary Note 14) The agricultural support system described in Supplementary Note 1, wherein when performing a predetermined operation on a predetermined location of a plant in the operation step, the operating mechanism is provided with a separation suppression unit for suppressing the operating mechanism from moving away from the predetermined location of the plant. Thereby, pollination of plants can be performed more effectively.

[0113] (Supplementary Note 15) The separation suppression unit is an agricultural support system described in Supplementary Note 14, which is composed of a guide member formed in a cylindrical shape. Thereby, pollination of plants can be performed more effectively.

[0114] (Supplementary Note 16) The predetermined operation is at least one selected from the group consisting of a flower pollination operation, a fruit harvesting operation, a leaf scraping operation, and a fruit thinning operation, and is an agricultural support system according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 15. Thereby, various operations on plants can be effectively performed.

[0115] (Supplementary Note 17) An agricultural support system according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 16, comprising a photographing mechanism for photographing an image of a plant, wherein the location specifying step is a step of specifying a predetermined location of the plant based on the image of the plant photographed by the photographing mechanism. Thereby, an operation on a predetermined location of the plant can be performed more effectively.

[0116] (Supplementary Note 18) The operation mechanism is composed of one or more pollination parts, and the pollination part is composed of a bract having a soft tip such as a feather material, and is an agricultural support system according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 17. Thereby, pollination of plants can be performed more effectively.

[0117] (Supplementary Note 19) A method executed in an agricultural support system including a processor and a memory, wherein the processor executes all steps executed in the invention according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 17. Thereby, an operation on a predetermined location of the plant can be performed more effectively.

[0118] (Supplementary Note 20) A program executed in an agricultural support system including a processor and a memory, wherein the processor executes all steps executed in the invention according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 17. As a result, operations on a predetermined location of the plant can be performed more effectively.

Explanation of Signs

[0119] 1 Automatic pollination device, 100 Pollination unit, 12 Brahma, 121 First Brahma, 122 Second Brahma, 123 Third Brahma, 124 First arm, 125 Second arm, 126 Third arm, 201 First camera, 202 Second camera, 300 Control unit, 310 Communication means, 320 Storage means, 330 Control means, 2 Identification device, 3 Movement route generation device, 4 Automatic pollination system

Claims

1. An agricultural support system comprising an operating mechanism that comes into contact with a plant and performs a predetermined operation, and a control unit, wherein the control unit executes a location identification step of identifying a predetermined location of the plant, and an operation step of performing a predetermined operation on the predetermined location of the plant identified in the location identification step by the operating mechanism, and the operation step is a step of performing the predetermined operation such that the operating mechanism surrounds the predetermined location of the plant. An agricultural support system.

2. The operating mechanism is composed of one or more pollination parts, the location identification step is a step of identifying the pistil of a predetermined flower, and the operation step is a step of performing the predetermined operation of bringing the one or more pollination parts into contact with the pistil of the predetermined flower such that the one or more pollination parts surround the pistil of the predetermined flower. The agricultural support system according to Claim 1.

3. The operation step includes a step of not vibrating the one or more pollination parts until the one or more pollination parts come into contact with the pistil of the predetermined flower, and a step of vibrating the one or more pollination parts when the one or more pollination parts come into contact with the pistil of the predetermined flower or after the contact. The agricultural support system according to Claim 2.

4. The operation step includes a vibration step of vibrating the operating mechanism, and the operation step includes a vibration control step of controlling at least one of the amplitude, frequency, and vibration direction when vibrating the operating mechanism according to the plant. The agricultural support system according to Claim 1.

5. The operating mechanism is composed of three or more pollination parts arranged so as to surround a predetermined area. The agricultural support system according to Claim 2.

6. The operating mechanism includes a first pollination part and a second pollination part, and a first position of the first pollination part is provided at a position different from a second position of the second pollination part in a direction in which the operating mechanism extends. The agricultural support system according to Claim 5.

7. The first pollination part and the second pollination part are provided at the first position and the second position according to the plant. The agricultural support system according to Claim 6.

8. The operation step includes a step of vibrating the pollination parts with a first intensity when at least two of the three or more pollination parts come into contact with the pistil of the predetermined flower or after the contact. The agricultural support system according to Claim 5.

9. The operation step is when the pistil of the predetermined flower is included in the predetermined area, including the step of vibrating the pollination part at the first intensity The agricultural support system according to claim 5.

10. The operation step includes the step of vibrating the pollination part at the second intensity when at least one of the three or more pollination parts contacts the pistil of the predetermined flower or after the contact. The operation step is a step of selectively vibrating the pollination part at either the first intensity or the second intensity. The first intensity is greater than the second intensity. The agricultural support system according to claim 8.

11. The operation mechanism is composed of one or more pollination parts. The location identification step is a step of identifying the pistil of a predetermined flower. The control unit includes a charging step of charging the one or more pollination parts, and executes The operation step is a step of performing the predetermined operation of bringing the one or more pollination parts into contact with the pistil of the predetermined flower after charging the one or more pollination parts in the charging step. The agricultural support system according to claim 1.

12. The operation mechanism is composed of one or more pollination parts. The location identification step is a step of identifying the stamen of the first flower and the pistil of the second flower. The operation step is a step of performing the predetermined operation so that the one or more pollination parts contact the pistil of the second flower after contacting the stamen of the first flower. The agricultural support system according to claim 1.

13. The control unit includes an obstacle identification step of identifying an obstacle when the operation mechanism performs a predetermined operation at a predetermined location of the plant in the operation step, and an obstacle exclusion step of excluding the obstacle identified in the obstacle identification step, and executes The operation step is a step of performing a predetermined operation at a predetermined location of the plant after the obstacle is excluded in the obstacle exclusion step. The agricultural support system according to claim 1.

14. When performing the predetermined operation at a predetermined location of the plant in the operation step, the operation mechanism is provided with a separation suppression unit for suppressing the operation mechanism from moving away from the predetermined location of the plant. The agricultural support system according to claim 1.

15. The separation suppression unit is composed of a guide member formed in a cylindrical shape. The agricultural support system according to claim 14.

16. The predetermined operation is at least one selected from the group consisting of a flower pollination operation, a fruit harvesting operation, a leaf scraping operation, and a fruit thinning operation. The agricultural support system according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

17. A photographing mechanism for photographing an image of the plant, Comprising, The location specifying step is a step of specifying a predetermined location of the plant based on the image of the plant photographed by the photographing mechanism. The agricultural support system according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

18. The operation mechanism is composed of one or more pollination parts, The pollination part is composed of a brahma having a soft tip such as a feather material. The agricultural support system according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

19. A method executed in an agricultural support system including a processor and a memory, A method in which the processor executes all the steps executed in the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

20. A program executed in an agricultural support system including a processor and a memory, A program in which the processor executes all the steps executed in the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

Images