Digital soil probe

Abstract

A digital soil probe (100) for examining insects living in soil, comprising a support structure (10); an insect trapping device (20) exchangeably attached to the support structure (10); a vertically positioned collection funnel (30) having an upper opening (31) connected to an outlet opening (22) of the insect trapping device (20); and a storage container (80) detachably mounted on the support structure (10) and surrounding the lower part of the collection funnel (30). The soil probe (100) further comprises a collection unit (40) forming a test chamber (45) which is provided with an upper inlet opening (41) connected to the lower opening (32) of the collection funnel (30); a lateral outlet opening (42) open towards the storage container (80); an exhaust unit (50) connected to the side of the test chamber (45) opposite the outlet opening (42); an artificial intelligence-based image recording unit (60) attached to the inner surface of the collection funnel (40) above the test chamber (45); a control and image processing unit (70) mounted on the support structure (10) and connected to the image recording unit (60) and the exhaust unit (50); an electrical power source connected to the control and image processing unit (70) and the blowing unit (50).

Description

[0001] Digital soil probe

[0002] The present invention relates to a digital soil probe suitable for detecting microarthropods in the soil or litter, as well as taxonomically and morphologically identifying them and measuring their body size, and further for measuring the density of microarthropod populations, in a fully automatic manner.

[0003] Small insects living in or near the soil surface, in particular microarthropods involved in the decomposition of organic matter and humus formation in the upper soil layer, such as springtails and mites, can influence the processes of soil nutrient exchange with high entity numbers and with many species, thereby increasing soil quality and soil fertility. Furthermore, microarthropods are especially sensitive to environmental changes, therefore the species composition and density of the population of the insects may be used to estimate the current and future ecological state of the soil.

[0004] According to the current state of the art, the diversity (species diversity) and density of population of microarthropods in the soil can be examined using various methods.

[0005] One common method is the use of a soil probe based on the principle of a pitfail trap or soil trap. In this case, small insects moving near the soil surface randomly fall into a pitfail trap that is precisely lowered into the soil surface in the area to be examined. The settled pitfail trap may be operated in an empty state or may be filled up with a killing and preserving substance. Live trapping is possible when the trap is empty, however, in this case the traps must be checked and emptied frequently to prevent unwanted death of the insects. For this reason, they are usually filled up with a killing and preserving substance so that the bodies of the insects falling into the trap can be preserved for weeks for further subsequent analyses. The collected insects are usually examined using a microscope in a laboratory.

[0006] Another common method is soil sampling with using a Berlese-type device. In this case, an undisturbed sample of a certain diameter and depth is taken from the soil in the area to be examined. The soil sample is transported to a laboratory, where it is placed in the upper part of a Berlese-type soil extraction device so that the small soil-dwelling insects are extracted during gradual, vertical heating and drying. The collected insects are usually preserved in this method and then also examined using a microscope. The disadvantage of this soil extraction method is that since in the case of sandy soil, the soil particles also roll off during the sampling along with the living organisms, it can only be used for such a soil with difficulty or not at all.

[0007] Furthermore, both methods have the disadvantage that the examination of the collected insects can only be done manually one by one using a microscope, which is quite timeconsuming. Furthermore, the examination and evaluation of the examinations require skilled personnel, which makes the above-mentioned soil testing methods more expensive.

[0008] According to the state of the art, specific measuring systems are used to solve the problems encountered in the above methods.

[0009] The Chinese patent document CN203226167 describes a measuring instrument for determining the size and quantity of small insects, specifically jumping spiders. The insects collected in a sample holder are first placed under a first camera connected to a microscope, where the length of the insects is determined using an image processing software to estimate the population size. The said sample holder is then placed under a second camera, where the number of the insects is determined using the image processing software. Although this solution eliminates the need to visually inspect the insects individually, the sample holders still have to be manually placed and positioned under the first and second cameras, which makes the examination of the insects still time-consuming.

[0010] It is an object of the present invention to eliminate the above-mentioned problems by providing a digital soil probe that is economical compared to manual measurements and can also be used in loose soil samples, while allowing fully automatic detection, specieslevel identification, body length measurement and determination of population density of small insects in the soil.

[0011] The above objects are achieved by a digital soil probe according to claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the digital soil probe are defined by the dependent claims.

[0012] The invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings: - Figure 1 illustrates a first preferred embodiment of the digital soil probe according to the invention in perspective view;

[0013] - Figure 2 illustrates the first preferred embodiment of the digital soil probe according to the invention in sectional view;

[0014] - Figure 3 illustrates a second preferred embodiment of the digital soil probe according to the invention in perspective view;

[0015] - Figure 4 illustrates the second preferred embodiment of the digital soil probe according to the invention in a sectional view;

[0016] - Figure 5 illustrates an exploded view of a preferred structural design of a collecting funnel and a collecting unit;

[0017] - Figure 6 illustrates a preferred structural design of the collecting funnel and the collecting unit in sectional view;

[0018] - Figure 7 schematically illustrates a preferred embodiment of an inspection chamber;

[0019] - Figure 8 illustrates an enlarged sectional view of the image recording unit used in the second preferred embodiment of the digital soil probe according to the invention; and

[0020] - Figure 9 is a circuit diagram of the electronic units used in the digital soil probe according to the invention.

[0021] The structure and the operation of the digital soil probe 100 according to the invention are illustrated by means of two preferred embodiments. Throughout the drawings of the various embodiments, structural elements performing the same function have the same reference number.

[0022] The structural design of the digital soil probe 100 according to the invention are depicted in Figures 1 to 4. The digital soil probe 100 comprises a framework 10 for holding and positioning the parts of the device. Preferably, the framework 10 may be provided with at least one handle for easier transportation of the soil probe 100.

[0023] The digital soil probe 100 further comprises an insect trap 20, which is preferably attached to the framework 10. The insect trap 20 has at least one inlet opening 21 and at least one outlet opening 22. Insects can enter the insect trap 20 through the inlet opening 21, while insects fall into a vertical collecting funnel 30 and then into an inspection chamber 45 through the outlet opening 22. In a first preferred embodiment of the soil probe 100, the insect trap 20 is designed as a soil trap, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The soil probe 100 according to the present embodiment is placed on the land to be examined in such a way that insects can fall into the insect trap 20 on site. To this end, the insect trap 20, which operates on the principle of a soil trap, comprises a frame 23, which can be removably attached to the upper part of a collecting funnel 30, and several lateral grid plates 24, which are replaceably attached to the frame 23. The grid plates 22 are provided with openings through which small insects can enter the insect trap 20, but undesirable elements, such as soil and plant debris, cannot enter.

[0024] Since the soil probe 100 according to the first preferred embodiment is lowered into the soil when placed on the land to be examined, the framework 10 is formed as a closed housing, which can protect the lowered part of the soil probe 100 against environmental influences.

[0025] In a second preferred embodiment of the soil probe 100, the insect trap 20 is in the form of aBerlese-type funnel trap as shown in Figures 3 and 4. The digital soil probe 100 according to the present embodiment is preferably used under laboratory conditions, where the soil sample is extracted in a manner according to the prior art. To this end, the insect trap 20 operating on the principle of soil extraction comprises a soil sample holder 25 of grid-type removably mounted on the top of the framework 10, on which the soil sample collected from the land to be examined can be placed, and a transfer funnel 26, the upper opening of which is connected to the bottom of the soil sample holder 25, and the lower opening thereof is connected to the upper opening 31 of the vertical collecting funnel 30 in such a way that the insects fall from the soil sample holder 25 through the transfer funnel 26 and the collecting funnel 30 into the inspection chamber 45.

[0026] In order to make the elements of the soil probe 100 according to the second preferred embodiment easy to access and therefore they can be conveniently replaced, and further to make the soil probe 100 easy to transport, the framework 10 is preferably formed of a lower support frame 27 and an upper support frame 28, which are assembled to each other in a detachable manner by means of support elements 29. The replaceable support elements 29 extending downward from the lower part of the lower support frame 28 serve as legs, the ends of which are provided with a rubber feet, by means of which the digital soil probe 100 can be placed stably, for example on a table.

[0027] In the digital soil probe 100, the insects can be fed into the inspection chamber 45 by means of the collection funnel 30 arranged under the insect trap 20. As can be seen in Figures 5 and 6, the upper opening 31 of the collection funnel 30 is therefore connected to the outlet opening 22 of the insect trap 20, and the lower opening 32 is open towards the inspection chamber 45.

[0028] In order to prevent insects from clinging to the inner surface of the collecting funnel 30 and climbing back towards the upper opening 31, the collecting funnel 30 preferably has the shape of an inverted truncated pyramid. The inner surfaces of the collecting funnel 30 are also designed to have low surface roughness. Preferably, the side walls of the collecting funnel 30 are therefore made of plexiglass or polished plastic, wherein the average surface roughness (Ra) of the inner surface of the collecting funnel 30 is preferably less than 0.05 pm. A further advantage of using transparent plexiglass is that the inside of the collecting funnel 30 can be inspected from the outside without disassembling the soil probe 100, making it easy to see if, for example, an inappropriate object or animal has got in the collecting funnel 30 or in the inspection chamber 45.

[0029] The digital soil probe 100 further comprises a collection unit 40, the interior of which forms the previously mentioned inspection chamber 45, where the insects are kept until the tests are completed. The collection unit 40 is preferably releasably attached to the lower part of the collection funnel 30. The collection unit 40 is designed so that the insects cannot climb out of it independently and can remain alive therein for a given period of time, preferably at least 5 minutes. The collection unit 40 may therefore comprise: an upper inlet opening 41 connected to the lower opening 32 of the collecting funnel 30, through which the insects can fall vertically into the interior of the collecting unit 40, i.e. the inspection chamber 45; vertical walls that define the lateral sides of the inspection chamber 45, preventing the insects from escaping by themselves; a lateral outlet opening 42 through which the insects already examined can be removed from the inspection chamber 45; at least one light source 49, which is positioned so as to illuminate the insects in the inspection chamber 45 from the side.

[0030] The light source 49 is preferably designed in the form of LED panels embedded in the inner side walls of the collection unit 40, which is preferably switched on only during the examination of the insects.

[0031] During the test, the insects are placed on the lower, horizontal side of the collection unit 40 so that they can move freely within the inspection chamber 45. It is preferred to create a suitable humid environment in the inspection chamber 45 so that the insects feel comfortable and do not want to climb out of the collection unit 40.

[0032] The digital soil probe 100 further comprises a blow-out unit 50, by means of which the examined insects are blown out of the inspection chamber 45 through the lateral outlet opening 42 after the examination.

[0033] As can be seen in Figure 7, the blow-out unit 50 is connected to the side of the collecting funnel 30 and / or the collecting unit 40, opposite to the lateral outlet opening 42, through at least one small air inlet hole 51 formed opposite the lateral outlet opening 42. The blowout unit 50 and the at least one air inlet hole 51 are preferably connected to each other by a flexible air inlet tube 52, so that vibrations generated during the operation of the blow-out unit 50 do not vibrate the collecting unit 40.

[0034] In order to prevent the examined insects from being blown back into the collection funnel 30 by the blow-out unit 50, the side wall of the collection unit 40 opposite the air inlet hole 51 is preferably inclined as shown in Figure 6 so that the insects cannot climb out of it. Furthermore, the inner surface of the collection funnel 30 opposite the air inlet hole 51 may also be provided with an inclined baffle 35. The air emitted from the blow-out unit 50 can thus be directed towards the lateral outlet opening 42 of the collection unit 40 by means of the inclined side wall and the baffle 35.

[0035] The digital soil probe 100 further comprises an image recording unit 60. As can be seen in Figure 8, the image recording unit 60 is preferably arranged in the inner part of the collecting funnel 30 above the inspection chamber 45, since it is more advantageous for the identification of insects if the image recording is always done from the same (dorsal) direction. As can be seen in Figure 6, the image recording unit 60 may preferably comprise: a vertically positioned housing 61 detachably attached to the inner surface of the collection funnel 30, and wherein the lower portion of the housing 61 is open towards the inspection chamber 45; at least one light source 62 arranged to illuminate the insects in the inspection chamber 45 from above, wherein the light source 62 is preferably in the form of LED panels embedded in the underside of the housing 61, which are preferably switched on only during the examination of the insects; a lens 63 that faces towards the inspection chamber 45 through the open bottom of the housing 61; and a camera 64 connected to the lens 63, configured to take a picture and / or video of the illuminated insects in the inspection chamber 45 from above.

[0036] The soil probe 100 further comprises a control and image processing unit 70, which is electrically connected to and / or in communication with the image recording unit 60 via a wire in order to provide operation and power supply, as shown in Figure 9. The control and image processing unit 70 is preferably mounted on the framework 10. The control and image processing unit 70 is used to operate the digital soil probe 100, as well as to process, store and transmit images and videos. The control and image processing unit 70 preferably comprises: an image processing module 71, which uses an artificial intelligence-based image processing algorithm to identify the illuminated insects in the inspection chamber 45 based on their external morphological features, and to count the number of individuals belonging to different species; a data storage module 72 that stores the images, videos and / or the obtained test results, for example on a memory card; a communication module 73 that transmits images, videos and / or the obtained test results to a central data processing unit remote from the digital soil probe 100 in a wired and / or wireless manner; an air supply control module 74 for controlling the blow-out unit 50; a light control module 75 for controlling the light sources 49, 62; and a cooling module 76 for adequate cooling of the control and image processing unit The soil probe 100 further comprises an electrical power source connected to the control and image processing unit 70 and the blow-out unit 50, and provides power to the digital soil probe 100. The electrical power source may be an external, wired power supply or a solar cell unit.

[0037] The digital soil probe 100 may further comprise a container 80 which is detachably mounted on the framework 10, as shown in Figures 1 to 4. The container 80 preferably surrounds the lower part of the collection funnel 30 in such a way that the examined insects are blown out of the inspection chamber 45 through the lateral outlet opening 42 of the collection unit 40 into the container 80. By using the container 80, it is expedient to prevent the already examined insects from entering the soil probe 100 again and thereby distorting the examination results. The container 80 is preferably kept empty, thereby the examined insects remain alive for possible further examination. Of course, the container 80 can also be filled up with a preservative, but in this case the insects that enter therein will die.

[0038] Compared to the solutions known from the state of the art, the advantage of the digital soil probe according to the invention is that it is capable of stand-alone detecting microarthropods, identify them taxonomically and morphologically, and measure their population density. To this end, the placement and replacement of insects during the tests is done automatically. Due to the image processing based on artificial intelligence, time-consuming manual measurement can be avoided, while the test accuracy can be continuously improved by eliminating the possible inattention of the personnel. Furthermore, the time and cost required for the test of insects are also significantly reduced.

[0039] Another advantage of the digital soil probe is that since the insects are always examined while still alive, it avoids the possibility of misidentification of deformed insect carcasses and / or identification failures due to preservation. After the examination, the insects do not need to be stored for a long time, so they can be left alive for further examinations or they may be set free.

[0040] Finally, due to the specific design of the soil probe, it can be used both in a laboratory and in the field.

Claims

Claims1. A digital soil probe (100) for examining soil-dwelling insects, comprising: a framework (10); an insect trap (20) replaceably attached to the framework (10); a vertical collecting funnel (30), an upper opening (31) of which is connected to an outlet opening (22) of the insect trap (20); a container (80) detachably mounted on the framework (10) and surrounding a lower part of the collection funnel (30); characterized in that the digital soil probe (100) further comprises: a collection unit (40) forming an inspection chamber (45) provided with an upper inlet opening (41) connected to a lower opening (32) of the collecting funnel (30), a lateral outlet opening (42) configured to be open towards the container (80); a blow-out unit (50) connected to the side of the inspection chamber (45) opposite the lateral outlet opening (42); an artificial intelligence-based image recording unit (60) attached to an inner surface of the collection funnel (40) above the inspection chamber (45); a control and image processing unit (70) mounted on the framework (10) and connected to the image recording unit (60) and the blow-out unit (50); an electrical power source connected to the control and image processing unit (70) and the blow-out unit (50); wherein the image recording unit (60) is in electrical and data communication connection with the control and image processing unit (70).

2. The digital soil probe (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the insect trap (20) is formed as a soil trap.

3. The digital soil probe (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the insect trap (20) is formed as a Berlese-type soil extractor.

4. The digital soil probe (100) according any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the collecting funnel (30) is made of polished plastic, in particular plexiglass.

5. The digital soil probe (100) according any one of claims 1 to 4 , characterized in that the inspection chamber (45) has a tilted side wall and the collection funnel (30) has a baffle (35) opposite the connection of the blow-out unit (50) to the collection unit (40).

6. The digital soil probe (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the electrical power source is in the form of an external, wired power supply or a solar cell unit.

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