Agricultural support system, method, and program

Abstract

This agricultural support system includes: an operation mechanism that comes into contact with a plant and performs a predetermined operation; and a control unit. The control unit executes: a first identification step for identifying a first cutting point on a tip side of a predetermined stem of the plant on the basis of the position of a tip portion of the predetermined stem and the position of the stem; a first cutting step for causing the operation mechanism to cut the predetermined stem at the first cutting point; a second identification step for identifying a second cutting point on a base side of the predetermined stem after the first cutting step; and a second cutting step for causing the operation mechanism to cut the predetermined stem at the second cutting point.

Description

Agricultural Support System, Method, Program

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

[0002] Techniques for causing an operating means to perform an operation on a plant are known.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 provides a technique that can automatically and surely pollinate the flowers of plants without relying on bees and manual labor.

[0004] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2021-052635

[0005] There is a problem that it has not been possible to suitably perform maintenance such as defoliation of plants. Therefore, this disclosure has been made to solve the above problems, and its object is to provide a technique for more suitably performing maintenance of plants. Maintenance includes the following. In this disclosure, a stem includes a branch. ・Defoliation: Removing old leaves that impede growth, leaves that block sunlight and ventilation, etc. (leaf pruning). ・Bud removal: Removing unnecessary side buds and offshoots early to concentrate nutrients on the central stem and necessary buds (bud pruning). ・Pinching: Pinching off the tips of the main stem and side branches to suppress the growth of plant height and promote branching. ・Flower removal: Removing overly abundant flowers to distribute nutrients to the remaining flowers and fruits. ・Fruit removal: Removing some of the fruits that have set, if they are misshapen or there are too many. ・Pruning: Cutting off unnecessary branches to shape the plant and make it easier for light and wind to pass through (pruning). The harvest target may include fruits, leaves, flowers, seeds, nuts, etc.

[0006] An agricultural support system including an operating mechanism that contacts a plant and performs a predetermined operation and a control unit, wherein the control unit includes a first specifying step of specifying a first cutting point on the tip side of a predetermined stem based on the tip of the predetermined stem of the plant and the position of the stem, a first cutting step of causing the operating mechanism to cut the predetermined stem at the first cutting point, a second specifying step of specifying a second cutting point on the base side of the predetermined stem after the first cutting step, and a second cutting step of causing the operating mechanism to cut the predetermined stem at the second cutting point.

[0007] Plant care can be performed effectively.

[0008] This diagram shows the functional configuration of the agricultural support device of the present disclosure. This diagram shows an example of the appearance of the agricultural support device 1 according to the first embodiment. This diagram shows the configuration of the cutting mechanism 100 according to the first embodiment. This diagram shows the operation of the cutting mechanism 100 according to the first embodiment. This is a top view of the cutting mechanism 100 according to the first embodiment. This is a side view of the cutting mechanism 100 according to the first embodiment. This diagram shows the configuration and operation of the cutting mechanism 100 according to the second embodiment. This is a top view of the cutting mechanism 100 according to the second embodiment. This is a side view of the cutting mechanism 100 according to the second embodiment. This flowchart shows the maintenance process.

[0009] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In all the drawings illustrating the embodiments, common components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations are omitted. The following embodiments are not intended to unduly limit the content of this disclosure as described in the claims. Not all components shown in the embodiments are necessarily essential components of this disclosure. Also, each drawing is a schematic diagram and is not necessarily a strict illustration.

[0010] <Operation of Agricultural Support Device 1> The agricultural support device 1 according to this disclosure comprises an operating mechanism that makes contact with a plant and performs predetermined operations, a control unit, and one or more cameras. The operating mechanism comprises a gripping mechanism capable of gripping the tip of a plant's stem, such as a leaf, and a cutting mechanism capable of cutting the plant's stem. The cutting function includes scissors (pruning shears, leaf trimming shears, tooth-cutting shears) capable of cutting the plant's stem, or forceps, tweezers, etc., capable of cutting (twisting) the stem by gripping and twisting it.

[0011] <First Embodiment> <Configuration> The configuration of the agricultural support device 1 according to the first embodiment of this disclosure will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 6. The agricultural support device 1 is a device for tending to plants in systems that systematically produce plants, such as plant factories, greenhouses, and plastic greenhouses. The tending includes the following. In this disclosure, leaf removal will be mainly described, but by applying this disclosure to buds, growing points, stem clusters, fruits, etc. instead of leaves, it can also be applied to the following bud removal, pinching, stem removal, fruit thinning, and pruning. The tip of a stem includes at least one of a leaf, flower, fruit, seed, and bud. ・Leaf removal: A device for removing old leaves (young leaves, mature leaves, old leaves) of strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, etc., which are not useful for growth and are sources of disease. ・Bud removal: A device for removing unnecessary lateral buds (axillary buds) on the stems of tomatoes, eggplants, chrysanthemums, etc.・Side shoots steal nutrients from the main stem, so removing them before they reach a size of 2-3 cm promotes the enlargement of the fruit and stem. ・Pinching: A device used to remove the growing point (tip of the stem) from the stems of cucumbers, melons, watermelons, etc. Removing the growing point when the main stem reaches a predetermined height encourages the growth of side branches and increases the number of fruits. ・Stem thinning: A device used to remove stems that are slow to open or have poor shape from the stems growing on a single stem cluster of strawberries, pears, peaches, etc. This concentrates nutrients on the remaining stems, improving fruit quality. ・Fruit thinning: A device used to remove excess fruit, damaged fruit, or poorly developed fruit from the fruits of apples, grapes, persimmons, etc. This promotes the enlargement and quality improvement of the remaining fruit. ・Pruning: A device used to remove unnecessary branches from the branches of grapes, kiwis, oranges, etc. to shape the tree. This improves sunlight penetration and airflow, improving fruit quality and reducing the risk of disease.

[0012] Figure 1 is a functional block diagram showing an agricultural support device 1 according to the first embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the agricultural support device 1 includes a cutting mechanism 100 (operating mechanism), a first camera 201, a second camera 202 (shooting mechanism), and a control unit 300. The cutting mechanism 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 communication networks including, for example, the Internet, intranet, LAN (Local Area Network), WAN (Wide Area Network), Wireless LAN (WLAN), Wireless WAN (WWAN), Virtual Private Network (VPN), etc. Alternatively, the cutting mechanism 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.

[0013] Figures 2 to 6 show examples of the external appearance of the agricultural support device 1 according to the first embodiment. Figure 2 shows an example of the external appearance of the agricultural support device 1 according to the first embodiment. Figure 3 shows the configuration of the cutting mechanism 100 according to the first embodiment. Figure 4 shows the operation of the cutting mechanism 100 according to the first embodiment. Figure 5 is a top view of the cutting mechanism 100 according to the first embodiment. Figure 6 is a side view of the cutting mechanism 100 according to the first embodiment.

[0014] As shown in Figure 2, the agricultural support device 1 includes a main body 106, a cutting mechanism 100 (operating mechanism), an arm 102 positioned on the main body 106, a drive unit (not shown) that drives the arm to move, and a running unit (not shown) that moves the agricultural support device 1. The running unit may be, for example, wheels installed on the underside of the agricultural support device 1 for running on the ground, or wheels that can move on rails. The agricultural support device 1 (first embodiment) includes scissors 12 as the cutting mechanism 100.

[0015] The cutting mechanism 100 is positioned at the tip of the arm 102. The second camera 202 is positioned on the cutting mechanism 100 (i.e., at the tip of the arm 102), but may also be positioned on the arm 102. The first camera 201 is positioned on the main body 106. That is, the second camera 202 moves in conjunction with the movement of the arm 102, while the first camera 201 does not move in conjunction with the movement of the arm 102. However, the first camera 201 may also be positioned on the arm 102. In addition, the first camera 201 and the second camera 202 may be provided separately from the agricultural support device 1. Furthermore, the agricultural support device 1 does not necessarily need to have multiple cameras; it is sufficient if the position or shooting direction of one camera moves or changes so that the cutting target (plant stem) can be photographed from different viewpoints.

[0016] Furthermore, this disclosure discloses, as an example, a configuration in which the stem to be cut, the leaves at the tip of the stem, etc., are identified based on captured data from the first camera 201, the second camera 202, etc., but is not limited to this. For example, they may be identified by a non-optical method based on RFID tags etc. provided on the stem, leaves, etc. In addition, the cutting location of the stem to be cut may be identified based on any sensor etc.

[0017] Figures 4 to 6 show an example in which the cutting mechanism 100 has a drive mechanism 101 that can move in the direction of the tip of the scissors 12 (the direction in which the blade line extends, the cutting edge). Figure 5 is a top view of the cutting mechanism 100. Figure 6 is a side view of the cutting mechanism 100. For example, suppose the agricultural support device 1 moves the cutting mechanism 100 to the vicinity of the stem to be cut by driving the arm 102. When determining the angle at which the cutting mechanism 100 enters the stem, suppose the control unit 300 drives the arm 102 to tilt the scissors 12 of the cutting mechanism 100 to a predetermined angle relative to the stem. The control unit 300 can drive the drive mechanism 101 to bring the scissors 12 into contact with the stem along the axial direction of the scissors 12. This makes it possible to cut the stem by bringing the scissors 12 into contact with the stem at a desired angle and position.

[0018] As shown in Figure 4, the cutting mechanism 100 is provided at the tip of a movable arm 102 and performs cutting by contacting the stem of a plant. Specifically, the cutting mechanism 100 consists of scissors 12. The scissors 12 cuts the stem by clamping it between a moving blade 121 and a stationary blade 122. The moving blade 121 opens and closes around a pivot point 124 via the rotational motion of a motor 123. For example, the motor 123 is a linear actuator that can extend and retract toward the tip of the scissors 12. The tip of the motor 123 is connected to the handle of the moving blade 121. The control unit 300 controls the motor 123 to be in an extended state and a retracted state, thereby opening and closing the moving blade 121 by rotating it around the pivot point 124 relative to the stationary blade 122. When cutting a stem, the control unit 300 first approaches the stem with the moving blade 121 in the open state and positions the stem between the moving blade 121 and the stationary blade 122. Next, the control unit 300 rotates the moving blade 121 in the closing direction due to the drive of the motor 123, cutting the stem while gripping it. After cutting, the control unit 300 returns the moving blade 121 to the open position. The cutting edges of the moving blade 121 and the stationary blade 122 are sharpened to an appropriate angle and sharpness to ensure that the plant stem is cut reliably. In addition, the rotation speed of the moving blade 121 is controllable to mitigate the impact during cutting.

[0019] <Second Embodiment> <Configuration> The configuration of the agricultural support device 1 according to the second embodiment of this disclosure will be described below with reference to Figures 7 to 9. The agricultural support device (second embodiment) is the same as the first embodiment, except that the cutting mechanism 100 is composed of forceps (tweezers) capable of gripping stems. Figures 7 to 9 show examples of the external appearance of the agricultural support device 1 according to the second embodiment. Figure 7 shows the configuration and operation of the cutting mechanism 100 according to the first embodiment. Figure 8 is a top view of the cutting mechanism 100 according to the first embodiment. Figure 9 is a side view of the cutting mechanism 100 according to the first embodiment.

[0020] As shown in Figure 7, the cutting mechanism 100 is provided at the tip of a movable arm 102 and performs cutting by contacting the stem of a plant. Specifically, the cutting mechanism 100 consists of forceps 13. The forceps 13 grips the stem between the operating arm 131 and the stationary arm 132 and cuts it. The operating arm 131 opens and closes around a pivot point 134 via the rotational motion of a motor 123. For example, the motor 123 is a linear actuator that can extend and retract toward the tip of the forceps 13. The tip of the motor 123 is connected to the other end of the operating arm 131 opposite to the tip. The control unit 300 controls the motor 123 to be in an extended state and a retracted state, thereby opening and closing the operating arm 131 by rotating it around the pivot point 134 relative to the stationary arm 132. When cutting a stem, the control unit 300 approaches the stem with the operating arm 131 in an open state and positions the stem between the operating arm 131 and the stationary arm 132. The control unit 300 rotates the operating arm 131 in the closing direction by driving the motor 123. The control unit 300 grips the stem by clamping it between the operating arm 131 and the stationary arm 132. The agricultural support system (second embodiment) includes a second motor 133 that can rotate the forceps 13 in the axial direction. Alternatively, the motor 123 may be configured as an actuator that can drive the forceps 13 to rotate in the axial direction (axial direction with respect to the tip of the forceps 13). With the stem gripped, the control unit 300 drives the second motor 133 to rotate the entire forceps 13 in the axial direction. This rotational movement applies a twisting force to the stem, causing it to twist and break (cut). After cutting, the control unit 300 returns the operating arm 131 to the open state again.

[0021] The gripping surfaces of the operating arm 131 and the stationary arm 132 are provided with appropriately shaped grooves or anti-slip surfaces to ensure a secure grip on the stem. Furthermore, the gripping force and twisting rotation speed are appropriately controlled by the control unit 300 according to the thickness and hardness of the stem. This enables reliable twisting without excessively damaging the stem.

[0022] The control unit 300 controls the gripping force when gripping the stem to an appropriate force that does not crush the stem and does not slip when twisting. The control unit 300 also controls the rotation speed and rotation force of the forceps 13 when twisting, taking into account the weight of the plant. The control unit 300 controls the system to prevent the seedling (plant) from being pulled out of the culture medium by the sudden force applied when cutting. By appropriately adjusting these parameters based on the characteristics of the stem and the size of the plant, the control unit 300 can cut the stem appropriately without pulling the seedling (plant) out of the culture medium.

[0023] In the second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the control unit 300 can drive the arm 102 to move the cutting mechanism 100 to the vicinity of the stem to be cut. Furthermore, when determining the angle at which the cutting mechanism 100 enters the stem, the control unit 300 can drive the arm 102 to tilt the forceps 13 of the cutting mechanism 100 to a predetermined angle relative to the stem.

[0024] <Maintenance Treatment> Maintenance treatment is a treatment for maintaining plants. In this disclosure, as an example, leaf removal will be mainly described as an example of maintenance treatment for plants, but by applying this disclosure to buds, growing points, stem clusters, fruits, etc. instead of leaves, it can also be applied to the following: bud removal, pinching, stem removal, fruit thinning, and pruning.

[0025] <Maintenance Process> The maintenance process is a series of steps that involve photographing the leaves and stems of the plant, identifying a first cutting point 151 on the stem based on the captured images, cutting the stem at the first cutting point 151, photographing the leaves and stems of the plant again, identifying a second cutting point 152 on the stem based on the captured images, and cutting the stem at the second cutting point 152.

[0026] <Shooting Step> In step S101, the control unit performs a first shooting step in which it photographs the tip of a predetermined stem using a camera. Specifically, the control unit 300 photographs the plant body, including the tip of the stem, using the first camera 201 and the second camera 202. The control unit 300 acquires images using the first camera 201 and the second camera 202 that include the stem to be cut and multiple leaves surrounding the stem. Since the stem is hidden by the leaves, the control unit 300 photographs the stem from multiple viewpoints. The control unit 300 photographs the entire plant body with the first camera 201. The control unit 300 moves the arm 102 to change the position and angle of the second camera 202, and photographs the part of the stem hidden in the shade of the leaves from multiple different directions. The control unit 300 identifies areas where the leaves overlap and create blind spots, and moves the second camera 202 to the optimal angle for that area to take photographs. The control unit 300 combines multiple acquired image data to determine the three-dimensional position and shape of the stem hidden by the leaves. The control unit 300 moves the second camera 202 to take additional images to confirm the position and condition of the stem. By taking images from multiple viewpoints, the control unit 300 recognizes the entire image of the stem without being obstructed by leaves and identifies the cutting position. The control unit 300 uses this information to plan the path of the cutting mechanism 100.

[0027] <First Identification Step> In step S102, the control unit performs a first identification step to identify a first cutting point 151 on the tip side of a predetermined stem, based on the tip of a predetermined stem of the plant and the position of the stem. The first identification step identifies the first cutting point 151 based on the first image taken in the first shooting step. Specifically, the control unit 300 recognizes the positional relationship between the stem and leaves from the captured image. The control unit 300 determines the range that the arm 102 and the cutting mechanism 100 can reach without interfering with the leaves, from the tip to the base of the stem. The control unit 300 recognizes the position of the leaves along the stem and the distance to each leaf. In leaf removal, it is preferable to cut the stem as close to the base as possible, but due to the length of the arm 102 and the shape of the cutting mechanism 100, the leaves get in the way and prevent cutting at the base of the stem. The control unit 300 identifies the first cutting point 151 as a position as close to the base as possible within the range that the arm 102 and the cutting mechanism 100 can reach. In this case, the control unit 300 selects a position on the path through which the cutting mechanism 100 approaches the stem that avoids interference with the leaves. In this disclosure, since the stem is cut in two steps, the first cutting point may be configured to be on the leaf side rather than the base side. In this case as well, since the unnecessary stem can be cut on the base side in the second cutting step, the plant can be kept hygienic.

[0028] <First Identification Step (Identification of Cutting Target (Old Leaves))> The control unit performs a state identification step to identify the state of each of the multiple leaves of the plant. Based on the state of each of the multiple leaves of the plant, the control unit performs a target identification step to identify one or more predetermined leaves from among the multiple leaves. Specifically, the control unit 300 recognizes the color, size, and shape of each leaf of the plant from the image taken in the first shooting step. The control unit 300 identifies the state of the leaf from its color. The control unit 300 identifies the growth stage of the leaf (whether it is a young leaf, mature leaf, or old leaf) from the state of the leaf surface. The control unit 300 may also identify the growth stage of the leaf from its size and shape. Based on the identified leaf state, the control unit 300 identifies the leaf to be cut (mainly old leaves or leaves undesirable for growth). Identification of the first cutting point 151 of the leaf to be cut is the same as in the first identification step already described.

[0029] The state identification step identifies the leaf age of each of the multiple leaves of the plant and identifies the state of each of the multiple leaves based on that leaf age. The target identification step identifies one or more predetermined leaves from among the multiple leaves based on the leaf age of each of the multiple leaves of the plant. The state identification step identifies the capabilities of each of the multiple leaves of the plant based on the leaf age, which indicates the age of the multiple leaves of the plant. Specifically, the control unit 300 identifies the growth period of each leaf by comparing images taken at multiple different time periods in chronological order. For example, the growth stage of the leaf (whether it is a young leaf, mature leaf, or old leaf) can be identified based on the elapsed time from the young leaf stage. The control unit 300 identifies the leaf unfolding order from the positional relationship of the leaves arranged sequentially from the base to the tip of the stem. The control unit 300 identifies the leaf age of each leaf from this information. The control unit 300 distinguishes between young leaves, mature leaves, and old leaves based on the leaf age. Identifying the first cutting point 151 of the old leaf to be cut is the same as in the first identification step already described.

[0030] The leaves to be cut may be identified by considering only the growth stage of the leaf, or by considering only the condition of the leaf (disease, injury, etc.). The control unit 300 may identify the leaves to be cut based on multiple criteria. The control unit 300 may identify older leaves to be cut based on the growth stage criterion. The control unit 300 may identify the leaves to be cut based on criteria indicating the condition of the leaf. Criteria indicating the condition of the leaf include conditions such as disease, insect damage, discoloration, wilting, and injury. The control unit 300 recognizes the color, shape, size, surface condition, etc. of the leaf from the captured image. Based on the leaf characteristics recognized from the image, the control unit 300 determines the condition such as disease, insect damage, discoloration, wilting, and injury. The control unit 300 may identify leaves that it determines to be in an abnormal condition to be cut. The control unit 300 can identify the leaves to be cut by considering both the growth stage and the condition of the leaf. The control unit 300 may, for example, identify leaves that are old and show signs of disease as targets for cutting. If the condition of the leaves is normal, the control unit 300 will identify targets for cutting based solely on the growth stage. The control unit 300 may also identify young leaves as targets for cutting if there is an abnormality in the condition of the leaves.

[0031] The target identification step involves identifying one or more leaves with inferior performance compared to other leaves within a predetermined group of overlapping leaves on a plant. Specifically, the control unit 300 identifies groups of leaves where the upper leaves cover the lower leaves. The control unit 300 identifies groups of leaves that grow in the same direction and overlap. The control unit 300 identifies the leaves to be cut from among the leaves within each group. The control unit 300 compares the photosynthetic capacity of the leaves within the group and identifies leaves with reduced capacity (old leaves, leaves in poor condition) as targets for cutting.

[0032] The control unit 300 identifies overlaps by recognizing the three-dimensional positional relationship of leaves from images taken from multiple angles. The control unit 300 identifies overlaps by recognizing the state in which the edge of one leaf overlaps the area of ​​another leaf. The control unit 300 identifies overlaps by recognizing the positional relationship of leaves overlapping vertically from the position of the shadows of the leaves. The control unit 300 identifies overlaps by recognizing the connection relationships of stems and identifying the positions of leaves that have grown from the same stem. The control unit 300 identifies overlaps by recognizing the positions of leaves that have grown from different stems from the branching points of stems. The control unit 300 identifies overlaps by recognizing the positions of intersecting stems from the three-dimensional arrangement of stems.

[0033] <First Cutting Step> In step S103, the control unit instructs the operating mechanism to perform a first cutting step, which involves cutting a predetermined stem at a first cutting point 151. The first cutting step involves the operating mechanism gripping the tip of the plant and cutting the stem at the first cutting point 151. Specifically, the control unit 300 instructs the cutting mechanism 100 to perform a first cutting step, which involves cutting a predetermined stem at the first cutting point 151. The first cutting point 151 is located at a predetermined distance from the base of the leaf towards the base.

[0034] In the first embodiment of the agricultural support system, the control unit 300 controls the arm 102 to move the cutting mechanism 100 to the first cutting point 151. The control unit 300 positions the scissors 12 at an appropriate angle to the stem. The control unit 300 drives the motor 123 to open the moving blade 121 and positions the stem between the moving blade 121 and the stationary blade 122. The control unit 300 drives the motor 123 to rotate the moving blade 121 in the closing direction and cuts the stem. After cutting, the control unit 300 returns the moving blade 121 to the open position.

[0035] In the agricultural support system (second embodiment), the control unit 300 controls the arm 102 to move the cutting mechanism 100 to the first cutting point 151. The control unit 300 positions the forceps 13 at an appropriate angle to the stem. The control unit 300 drives the motor 123 to open the operating arm 131 and positions the stem between the operating arm 131 and the stationary arm 132. The control unit 300 drives the motor 123 to rotate the operating arm 131 in the closing direction and grasp the stem. With the stem grasped, the control unit 300 drives the motor 123 to rotate the entire forceps 13 axially and twists the stem. After cutting, the control unit 300 returns the operating arm 131 to the open position.

[0036] The control unit 300 may be configured to grip the leaf with the forceps 13 of the first agricultural support device (second embodiment) while cutting the stem with the scissors 12 of the second agricultural support device (first embodiment). In this case, the control unit 300 grips the leaf with the forceps 13 of the first agricultural support device 1 and cuts the stem at the first cutting point 151 with the scissors 12 of the second agricultural support device 1. This prevents the leaf from vibrating due to the impact of cutting, enabling more stable cutting work. It should be noted that instead of using two agricultural support devices, one agricultural support device may be equipped with multiple operating mechanisms (arms equipped with scissors 12 and forceps 13).

[0037] <Second Shooting Step> In step S104, the control unit performs a second shooting step, in which it photographs a predetermined stem with a camera after the first cutting step. Specifically, the control unit 300 uses the first camera 201 to photograph the entire plant body, including the cut portion of the stem. The first camera 201 acquires an image to confirm the state of the cutting position and the arrangement of the surrounding leaves. The control unit 300 acquires information necessary to identify the position of the second cutting point 152 by recognizing the positional relationship of multiple leaves.

[0038] The control unit 300 performs high-speed, continuous shooting immediately after the first cutting step. The control unit 300 dynamically captures the vibration of the stem caused by the impact of cutting using the first camera 201 and the second camera 202. The control unit 300 records the amplitude, period, and decay process of the stem vibration immediately after cutting by shooting. The control unit 300 continues shooting until the stem vibration subsides. The control unit 300 analyzes the vibration state of the stem and uses the results to control the cutting force in subsequent cuts.

[0039] The control unit 300 adjusts the position and angle of the second camera 202 by moving the arm 102. The control unit 300 takes detailed photographs of the state of the cut surface from near the cutting area. The control unit 300 confirms that the cutting in the first cutting step was performed properly. The control unit 300 checks the shape of the cut surface, the state of the cut surface, the color of the cut surface, the state of the surrounding tissue of the cut area, etc.

[0040] The control unit 300 moves the second camera 202 toward the base of the stem. The control unit 300 uses the second camera 202 to photograph the base of the stem from multiple different directions. The control unit 300 adjusts the position and angle of the second camera 202 to photograph the part of the stem hidden by the leaves, minimizing blind spots. The control unit 300 acquires information about the position and shape of the stem necessary to identify the second cutting point 152.

[0041] <Second Identification Step> In step S105, the control unit performs a second identification step after the first cutting step to identify a second cutting point 152 on the base side of a predetermined stem. The second identification step identifies the second cutting point 152 based on the second image captured in the second shooting step. Specifically, the control unit 300 recognizes the position and state of the stem after cutting from the shooting data acquired in the second shooting step. The control unit 300 determines the range that the arm 102 and the cutting mechanism 100 can reach in the area on the base side of the first cutting point 151. The control unit 300 recognizes the position of the leaves along the base side of the stem and the distance to each leaf. The control unit 300 identifies the second cutting point 152 as a position on the base side of the first cutting point 151, within the range that the arm 102 and the cutting mechanism 100 can reach, and as close to the base as possible. At this time, the control unit 300 selects a position on the path that the cutting mechanism 100 takes to approach the stem that avoids interference with the leaves.

[0042] <Second Identification Step (First Embodiment)> The second identification step identifies the second cutting point 152 based on the movement of a predetermined stem after it has been cut in the first cutting step. Specifically, the control unit 300 tracks the position of the stem after the first cutting step (the stem to be cut in the second cutting step) from the continuous shooting data acquired in the second shooting step. The control unit 300 identifies the position of the stem to be cut in a stable state after the vibration of the stem has subsided. The control unit 300 accurately identifies the stem to be cut by comparing it with the shooting data before the first cutting. The control unit 300 determines the position of the second cutting point 152 on the identified stem to be cut. The control unit 300 identifies the second cutting point 152 as a position as close to the base as possible within the reachable range of the arm 102 and the cutting mechanism 100. The second identification step (first embodiment) allows the stem after it has been cut in the first cutting step to be removed at an earlier stage compared to the second identification step (second embodiment), thus allowing the plant to be kept more hygienic.

[0043] <Second Identification Step (Second Embodiment)> The second identification step identifies the second cutting point 152 based on the cut surface of a predetermined stem after it has been cut in the first cutting step. Specifically, the control unit 300 recognizes the state of the cut surface from the imaging data acquired in the second imaging step. The control unit 300 determines whether or not there is discoloration on the cut surface of the stem. The control unit 300 identifies stems whose cut surface has turned brown after some time has passed since cutting as stems to be cut. Based on the degree of discoloration of the cut surface, the control unit 300 determines that the stem was cut in the first cutting step. The control unit 300 determines the position of the second cutting point 152 on the identified stem to be cut. The control unit 300 identifies the second cutting point 152 as a position as close to the base as possible within the reachable range of the arm 102 and the cutting mechanism 100. The second identification step (second embodiment) has the advantage of allowing the stem to be identified based on the condition of the cut surface, compared to the second identification step (first embodiment). This allows the first cutting step and the second cutting step to be performed with a time interval between them, thus enabling flexible setting of the timing of each step in the maintenance process.

[0044] <Second Cutting Step> In step S106, the control unit instructs the operating mechanism to perform a second cutting step, which involves cutting a predetermined stem at the second cutting point 152. A third cutting step is performed to cut the stem of a predetermined leaf identified in the target identification step. Specifically, the control unit 300 cuts the stem at the second cutting point 152 identified in the second identification step. The control unit 300 cuts the stem at the second cutting point 152 using the same procedure as the first cutting step. In this disclosure, an example of cutting the stem in two stages is disclosed, but the system is not limited to this. For example, a configuration in which the stem is gradually cut toward the base in three or more steps is also possible. For example, in the case of a plant with a long stem, it may be difficult to remove the leaves in two stages because the tip of the stem interferes with the arm. In such cases, the second shooting step (S104) to the second cutting step (S106) can be repeated to cut the stem closer to the base. This makes it possible to maintain the plant's growth state in a more favorable condition.

[0045] In the present disclosure, as an example, an example of cutting the stem in two steps has been disclosed, but it is not limited thereto. For example, when it is determined that the base side of the stem can be sufficiently cut in the first cutting step (S103), the maintenance process may be terminated without executing the second imaging step or without executing the second specifying step and the second cutting step based on the image captured in the second imaging step. The second imaging step (S104) to the second cutting step (S106) do not necessarily have to be executed.

[0046] <Supplementary Note> The matters described in each of the above embodiments are appended below.

[0047] [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 includes a first specifying step of specifying a first cutting point on the tip side of a predetermined stem based on the tip of the predetermined stem of the plant and the position of the stem, a first cutting step of causing the operating mechanism to cut the predetermined stem at the first cutting point, a second specifying step of specifying a second cutting point on the base side of the predetermined stem after the first cutting step, and a second cutting step of causing the operating mechanism to cut the predetermined stem at the second cutting point. By this, even when the operating mechanism interferes with leaves, stems, etc., the stem can be removed closer to the base side by the two-step cutting step. The growth state of the plant can be maintained in a better condition.

[0048] [Supplementary Note 2] The agricultural support system according to Supplementary Note 1, wherein the tip of the stem includes at least one of leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds, and buds. By this, the growth state of the plant can be maintained in a better condition.

[0049] [Supplementary Note 3] The agricultural support system according to Supplementary Note 1 or 2, wherein the second specifying step is a step of specifying the second cutting point based on the movement of the predetermined stem after being cut in the first cutting step. By this, since the stem after being cut in the first cutting step can be removed, the plant can be kept cleaner.

[0050] [Note 4] The agricultural support system according to Note 1 or 2, wherein the second identification step is a step of identifying the second cutting point based on the cut surface of the predetermined stem after it has been cut by the first cutting step. This has the advantage that the timing of each step of the maintenance process can be flexibly set, as the first cutting step and the second cutting step can be performed with a time interval between them.

[0051] [Note 5] The agricultural support system according to any one of Notes 1 to 4, wherein the agricultural support system comprises one or more cameras, and the control unit performs a first shooting step of photographing the tip of a predetermined stem with the camera, and a second shooting step of photographing the predetermined stem after the first cutting step, the first identification step is a step of identifying the first cutting point based on the first image taken in the first shooting step, and the second identification step is a step of identifying the second cutting point based on the second image taken in the second shooting step. As a result, even when the operating mechanism interferes with leaves and stems, the stem can be removed closer to the base by the two-stage cutting step. The growth condition of the plant can be maintained in a better state.

[0052] [Note 6] The agricultural support system according to any one of Notes 1 to 5, wherein the first cutting step is a step of cutting the stem at the first cutting point while the operating mechanism grips the tip of the plant. This makes it possible to maintain the plant's growth condition in better condition.

[0053] [Note 7] An agricultural support system comprising an operating mechanism that makes contact with a plant and performs a predetermined operation, and a control unit, wherein the control unit performs a state identification step of identifying the state of each of a plurality of leaves of the plant, a target identification step of identifying one or more predetermined leaves from the plurality of leaves based on the state of each of the plurality of leaves of the plant, and a third cutting step of cutting the stem of the predetermined leaf identified in the target identification step. This makes it possible to maintain the plant's growth condition in better condition.

[0054] [Note 8] The state identification step is a step of identifying the leaf age of each of the multiple leaves of the plant and identifying the state of each of the multiple leaves based on the leaf age, and the target identification step is an agricultural support system according to Note 7, wherein one or more predetermined leaves are identified from the multiple leaves based on the leaf age of each of the multiple leaves of the plant. This makes it possible to maintain the plant's growth condition in better condition.

[0055] [Note 9] The agricultural support system described in Note 7, wherein the state identification step is a step of identifying the capabilities of each of the multiple leaves of the plant based on the leaf age, which indicates the age of the multiple leaves of the plant. This makes it possible to maintain the plant's growth condition in better condition.

[0056] [Note 10] The agricultural support system described in Note 7, wherein the target identification step is to identify one or more leaves that are less capable than the other leaves within a predetermined group of overlapping leaves of the plant. This makes it possible to maintain the plant's growth condition in a better state.

[0057] [Note 11] A method to be performed on an agricultural support system comprising a processor and memory, wherein the processor performs all steps performed in the invention according to any of Notes 1 to 10. This makes it possible to maintain a better state of plant growth.

[0058] [Note 12] A program to be executed in an agricultural support system comprising a processor and memory, wherein the processor executes all the steps performed in the invention according to any of Notes 1 to 10. This makes it possible to maintain a better state of plant growth.

[0059] 1. Agricultural support device 100: Cutting unit, 12. Scissors, 121. Moving blade, 122. Stationary blade, 123. Motor, 124. Pivot point, 13. Forceps, 131. Operating arm, 132. Stationary arm, 134. Pivot point, 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 cutting system

Claims

1. An agricultural support system comprising: an operating mechanism for making contact with a plant and performing a predetermined operation; and a control unit, wherein the control unit performs: a first identification step of identifying a first cutting point on the tip side of a predetermined stem based on the tip of a predetermined stem and the position of the stem; a first cutting step of having the operating mechanism cut the predetermined stem at the first cutting point; a second identification step of having the operating mechanism identify a second cutting point on the base side of the predetermined stem after the first cutting step; and a second cutting step of having the operating mechanism cut the predetermined stem at the second cutting point.

2. The agricultural support system according to claim 1, wherein the tip of the stem includes at least one of a leaf, a flower, a fruit, a seed, and a bud.

3. The agricultural support system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second identification step is a step of identifying the second cutting point based on the movement of the predetermined stem after it has been cut by the first cutting step.

4. The agricultural support system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second identification step is the step of identifying the second cutting point based on the cut surface of the predetermined stem after it has been cut by the first cutting step.

5. The agricultural support system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the agricultural support system comprises one or more cameras, the control unit performs a first shooting step of photographing the tip of a predetermined stem with the cameras, and a second shooting step of photographing the predetermined stem after the first cutting step, the first identification step is a step of identifying the first cutting point based on the first image taken in the first shooting step, and the second identification step is a step of identifying the second cutting point based on the second image taken in the second shooting step.

6. The agricultural support system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first cutting step is a step of cutting the stem at the first cutting point while causing the operating mechanism to grasp the tip of the plant.

7. An agricultural support system comprising an operating mechanism that makes contact with a plant and performs a predetermined operation, and a control unit, wherein the control unit performs: a state identification step of identifying the state of each of a plurality of leaves of the plant; a target identification step of identifying one or more predetermined leaves from the plurality of leaves based on the state of each of the plurality of leaves of the plant; and a third cutting step of cutting the stem of the predetermined leaf identified in the target identification step.

8. The agricultural support system according to claim 7, wherein the state identification step is a step of identifying the leaf age of each of the multiple leaves of the plant and identifying the state of each of the multiple leaves based on the leaf age, and the target identification step is to identify one or more predetermined leaves from the multiple leaves based on the leaf age of each of the multiple leaves of the plant.

9. The agricultural support system according to claim 7, wherein the state identification step is a step of identifying the capabilities of each of the multiple leaves of the plant based on the leaf age, which indicates the age of the multiple leaves of the plant.

10. The agricultural support system according to claim 7, wherein the target identification step is to identify one or more leaves that are less capable than the other leaves within a predetermined group of overlapping leaves of the plant.

11. A method for performing an agricultural support system comprising a processor and memory, wherein the processor performs all steps performed in any of the inventions according to claims 1 to 10.

12. A program to be executed in an agricultural support system comprising a processor and memory, wherein the processor executes all steps performed in any of the inventions according to claims 1 to 10.

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