Buffered Crop Row Detection With Dual-Row Angle Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plant protection and harvesting equipment for crops like corn and cotton rely heavily on manual operations, leading to high labor intensity and low intelligence, with mechanical twin rows devices experiencing issues such as complex data processing, loss of plant location information, and collision damage due to missing seedlings or broken rows, and inaccurate sowing trajectories causing seed jumping and missed harvests.
Innovation Solution
A crop row detection device with a bracket, buffer mechanism, and angle sensing mechanism, combined with satellite navigation, to simultaneously detect and adjust to both crop rows, using a buffer mechanism to reduce collision damage and an angle sensing mechanism to trigger an angle sensor upon collision, along with a navigation method that fuses satellite positioning for precise guidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are used to detect one row of crops, then the plant position can be obtained, but the data processing becomes complex and reliability decreases due to missing seedlings and broken rows
Solution Approach 1:
The detection system is divided into two independent detection units, each detecting one row of crops separately. This segmentation allows each unit to independently process data for its respective row, reducing the overall data processing complexity while maintaining detection precision for both rows simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
A data processing module acts as an intermediary that receives data from both detection units, processes it according to predetermined rules, and generates control signals. This intermediary structure simplifies the data processing by providing a centralized processing mechanism rather than requiring complex coordination between multiple sensors
2Device complexity
If a single sensor detects one row of crops, then the data processing is simpler, but plant location information is lost when missing seedlings or broken rows occur
Solution Approach 1:
The detection system uses two separate detection units, each independently detecting one row of crops. This segmentation ensures that if one row has missing seedlings or broken rows, the other detection unit continues to provide reliable plant location information, thereby maintaining overall system reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the detection parameter from single-row detection to dual-row detection by adding a second detection unit. This parameter change allows the system to maintain simple data processing for each row while improving reliability through redundant detection coverage
3Measurement precision
If the sensor directly contacts crop rows during operation, then the collision force can be detected, but damage occurs to the crop and the sensing device
Solution Approach 1:
A buffer mechanism is installed between the detection unit and the crop rows to provide beforehand cushioning. This buffer mechanism absorbs collision forces before they reach the sensing device and crops, reducing damage while still allowing the sensor to detect collision forces through the buffered transmission
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer mechanism acts as an intermediary element between the detection unit and the crop rows. It mediates the collision interaction by absorbing and transmitting forces in a controlled manner, enabling force detection while protecting both the crops and the sensing device from direct impact damage
4Ease of operation
If sowing operation trajectories are used for guidance, then navigation can be provided, but accuracy decreases due to seed jumping and gaps between plant position and recorded trajectory
Solution Approach 1:
The detection units provide real-time feedback on the actual plant positions of both crop rows. This feedback is used to dynamically adjust and optimize the navigation trajectory, compensating for deviations caused by seed jumping and gaps, thereby improving navigation accuracy while maintaining ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary detection of plant positions using the detection units before navigation operations begin. This preliminary action allows the system to pre-calculate optimized trajectories that account for actual plant locations, reducing the impact of seed jumping and trajectory gaps during subsequent navigation
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device and method enhance the reliability and accuracy of crop row detection by reducing data processing complexity, avoiding plant location loss, and ensuring precise navigation, thereby improving the automation and intelligence of harvesting and plant protection operations.
Implementation Method 1
a compression spring is arranged at an outer wall of the sliding base; and one end of the compression spring is connected with the sliding base, the other end of the compression spring is connected with the sliding sleeve
Implementation Method 2
The angle sensing mechanism is arranged onto a rear end of the bracket; and other ends of two collision plates are rotatably connected onto the angle sensing mechanism; and upon the collision plates colliding crop rows and deflecting, the angle sensing mechanism is capable of triggering an action of an angle sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A crop row detection device and a navigation method fusing satellite positioning, including a bracket, a buffer mechanism and a angle sensing mechanism; both a left side and a right side of a front end of the bracket are rotatably connected with a support bar respectively; and the other end of each support bar is hingedly connected with linkage bars and collision plates; the buffer mechanism is arranged on the bracket; and the other ends of two linkage bars are rotatably connected onto the buffer mechanism respectively; angle sensing mechanism is arranged onto a rear end of the bracket; and other ends of two collision plates are rotatably connected onto the angle sensing mechanism; and upon the collision plates colliding crop rows and deflecting, the angle sensing mechanism is capable of triggering an action of an angle sensor.