Modular Plant Imaging System for High-Throughput Root Phenotyping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for monitoring and analyzing plant growth, particularly root phenotyping, are expensive, inflexible, and limited in their ability to perform high-throughput phenotyping in diverse environments.
Innovation Solution
A portable, modular plant monitoring system that includes an imaging subsystem, a carousel system for holding multiple petri dishes, and a control subsystem for coordinating camera movements, image acquisition, and image processing to analyze plant growth and root development.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If expensive stereomicroscopes coupled with digital cameras are used for plant imaging, then imaging quality and resolution are improved, but system cost and portability are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the imaging function into separate components: a standard digital camera is mounted on a movable platform with adjustable positioning mechanisms, allowing high-quality imaging without requiring an expensive integrated stereomicroscope system. The segmentation enables using affordable individual components to achieve the same function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive, delicate microscope systems with more affordable, robust components including standard digital cameras and simple positioning mechanisms. This substitution maintains imaging capability while significantly reducing system cost and increasing portability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If fixed mounting of camera on vertical or horizontal stages is used, then imaging stability is improved, but system flexibility and adaptability are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The camera mounting system is made dynamic rather than fixed. The camera can be positioned on vertical, horizontal, or inclined stages and can be adjusted between different orientations. This dynamic positioning capability provides imaging stability during capture while enabling flexibility in setup configuration for different plant types and imaging requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning system is designed to perform multiple functions: it can hold the camera in various orientations (vertical, horizontal, inclined), adjust positioning along different axes, and accommodate different plant sample configurations. This universal design replaces the need for separate fixed mounting systems for each orientation.
3Productivity
If high-throughput phenotyping systems are deployed, then productivity and analysis speed are improved, but system cost and complexity are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates automated image processing and analysis capabilities that operate autonomously. Software algorithms automatically process captured images to extract phenotypic data, eliminating the need for manual analysis and enabling high-throughput operation without requiring complex automated hardware systems or large operator workforces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical automation systems with computational methods. Instead of using elaborate robotic manipulation or automated sample handling mechanisms, the system uses software-based image processing and analysis to achieve high-throughput phenotyping, significantly reducing mechanical complexity while maintaining productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
A portable, modular plant monitoring system includes an imaging subsystem configured to acquire images of plural plants with a camera, an imaging actuation subsystem configured to support the imaging subsystem and to translate the imaging subsystem, a carousel system having a carousel configured to hold the plural plants in plural petri dishes, a carousel actuation subsystem configured to support the carousel system, to translate the carousel and to rotate the carousel, a support subsystem configured to hold the camera actuation subsystem and the carousel actuation subsystem, and a control subsystem configured to coordinate (1) a movement of the camera, (2) a linear movement and a rotation of the carousel, (3) image acquisition by the camera, and (4) image processing to detect a characteristic of the plural plants.