Camera-Guided Rock Collection for Accurate Field Pickup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for removing rocks from agricultural fields, such as manual operation with implements like rakes and sieves, are inefficient and labor-intensive, leading to high failure rates and increased costs due to the need for multiple passes and human intervention.
Innovation Solution
An image-collection vehicle equipped with a camera, sensor array, and object-picking assembly that identifies and tracks objects using image analysis, guiding a bucket and object-picking system to autonomously locate and collect rocks, reducing manual labor and improving efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual operation with implements like rakes and sieves is used to clear fields of rocks, then the equipment can be simple and inexpensive, but the productivity is low and the failure rate is high requiring multiple passes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operation with an automated system that uses cameras for detection, processors for image analysis, and automated control for implement operation. The system captures images, identifies rocks through pattern recognition, calculates their locations, and automatically guides the collection implement to remove them, substituting human mechanical operations with an integrated electromechanical system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables the rock collection process to be self-directed through automated detection and navigation. The camera system autonomously identifies rocks, the processor independently calculates their positions, and the control system automatically steers the implement without requiring manual intervention or supervision, allowing the equipment to service itself through intelligent automation.
2Loss of time
If manual operation and human intervention are used to pick rocks, then the equipment complexity is low, but the loss of time is high due to multiple passes and slow manual picking
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables continuous rock detection and removal operations. The camera continuously captures images as the vehicle moves, the processor continuously analyzes footage to identify rocks, and the control system continuously adjusts the implement position, creating an uninterrupted cycle of detection and removal that eliminates the stop-and-go nature of manual operations and multiple passes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary detection and identification of rocks before the collection implement reaches them. The camera system captures and analyzes images in advance, calculating rock locations and trajectories ahead of time, allowing the control system to prepare and position the implement optimally for immediate pickup, eliminating delays associated with manual discovery and reaction.
3Productivity
If automated equipment is used to collect rocks, then the productivity increases and manual labor is reduced, but the device complexity and initial costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system integrates multiple functions into a single unified platform. The vehicle serves as both the detection platform (carrying cameras and sensors) and the collection vehicle (with attached implements), while the processor handles both image analysis and navigation control. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized equipment and optimizes resource utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system acts as an intermediary that bridges the detection system and the collection implement. It processes information from the camera and processor, translates rock location data into navigation commands, and coordinates the implement's movement and operation, enabling seamless integration between the automated detection and physical collection functions.
4Reliability
If traditional implements are used without automation, then the ease of operation is high for simple tasks, but the reliability is low due to high failure rates and missed rocks
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates continuous feedback loops where the camera constantly monitors the field, the processor analyzes current and past images to track rock positions, and the control system adjusts the implement's path based on this information. This real-time feedback enables the system to adapt to changing conditions, correct for vehicle movement and terrain variations, and ensure reliable rock detection and collection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces unreliable manual operation with automated detection and control systems. The camera and processor provide consistent, objective rock identification without human error, fatigue, or distraction, while the automated control system executes precise navigation and implement positioning, significantly improving reliability compared to manual operation.
Data Source
AI summary
An object-collection system is disclosed. The system including a vehicle connected to a bucket, a camera connected to the vehicle, and an object picking assembly configured to pick up objects off of ground. The system further includes a processor that obtains object information for identified objects, guides the object-collection system over a target geographical area toward the identified objects based on the object information, captures images of the ground relative to the object picker as the object-collection system is guided towards the identified objects, identifies a target object in the images, tracks movement of the target object across the images as the object-collection system is guided towards the identified objects, and employs the tracked movement of the target object to instruct the object picker to pick up the target object.