Boom Deflection Compensation in Agricultural Sprayers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agricultural sprayers face challenges in maintaining accurate application of agricultural products due to boom deflection during operation, leading to potential misapplication of products on crops and weeds.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a boom assembly with imaging devices and a computing system that determines a boom deflection model based on the movement of reference points captured by the imaging devices. This model predicts the deflection shape of the boom and adjusts the activation of nozzle valves to ensure precise application of agricultural products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the boom assembly is extended to cover wide swaths of the field, then the productivity is improved, but the boom deflection increases causing misapplication of agricultural product
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by capturing images of reference points before the boom deflection occurs, then uses these pre-captured data to calculate and compensate for the expected deflection. The imaging device captures field data in advance, the computing system processes this data to determine boom deflection characteristics, and this information is used to adjust nozzle activation timing, ensuring accurate application despite the extended boom configuration.
2Measurement precision
If sensors are mounted on boom sections to detect field conditions, then the measurement precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging device serves multiple functions: it captures images of reference points for boom deflection calculation, identifies target objects (crops or weeds) for selective spraying decisions, and provides spatial positioning information. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate sensor systems for each function, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining high measurement precision for field condition detection.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the nozzle assemblies are controlled based on real-time sensor data, then the adaptability is improved, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring increases due to boom movement
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces reference points as intermediary objects that are easily detectable and serve as mediators between the imaging device and the actual targets. By tracking the movement of these reference points relative to the boom, the system calculates boom deflection and uses this information to compensate for position errors when detecting and measuring actual target locations, thereby maintaining high detection accuracy despite boom movement.
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes a first nozzle assembly positioned along a boom assembly. The first nozzle assembly includes a first valve operably coupled with a first nozzle. A first imaging device is associated with the first nozzle assembly. A second nozzle assembly is positioned along the boom assembly and includes a second valve operably coupled with a second nozzle. A second imaging device is associated with the second nozzle assembly. A computing system is operably coupled with the first nozzle assembly, the first imaging device, the second nozzle assembly, and the second imaging device. The computing system is configured to receive data from the first imaging device, identify a first reference point within the data provided by the first imaging device, receive data from the second imaging device, identify a second reference point within the data provided by the second imaging device, and determine a boom deflection model.