Automated Plant Sampler with Volumizing Back Wall
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for collecting plant product samples, such as cotton, are prone to errors due to human misidentification, contamination, and non-uniform sampling, leading to inaccurate data and inefficient collection, especially in large-scale crop analytics and breeding programs.
Innovation Solution
An automated high-throughput sampling system that includes a mobile platform, harvesting heads, and sample volumizers to collect a specified volume of plant product from the middle of plots, ensuring accurate identification, reduced contamination, and uniform sampling across all parts of the plant, using geospatial positioning and computer-controlled operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If human collectors manually collect samples, then sample collection can be performed with simple equipment, but sample collection uniformity and accuracy deteriorate due to human error and variability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual human collection with an automated mechanical sampling system that uses a robotic arm or automated mechanism to collect plant product samples. This substitution eliminates human variability and error, ensuring consistent sampling uniformity while reducing reliance on human operators.
Solution Approach 2:
The sampling system incorporates automated identification and tracking capabilities where the system itself identifies plots and tracks samples without human intervention. The automated system performs self-monitoring and self-correction to maintain sampling accuracy and uniformity across multiple plots.
2Productivity
If samples are collected from easily accessible plant locations, then sample collection speed increases, but sample representativeness deteriorates as samples over-represent certain plant areas
Solution Approach 1:
The automated sampling system is designed to collect samples from multiple specific locations across each plant, including less accessible areas. The system systematically navigates to different plant zones to ensure samples represent the entire plant population rather than just easily reachable portions.
Solution Approach 2:
The sampling process is divided into multiple discrete collection points across different plant locations. The automated system sequentially visits segmented areas of the field and collects samples from various plant positions, ensuring comprehensive representation while maintaining efficient throughput.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple plots are sampled by different human collectors on different days, then global breeding program coverage increases, but data consistency deteriorates due to variations in collection methods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent describes a standardized automated sampling system that can be deployed across multiple locations and plots with identical operational parameters. This universal system ensures that the same sampling methodology is applied consistently throughout the global breeding program, maintaining data consistency while expanding coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The automated sampling system incorporates tracking and monitoring capabilities that record sampling data with precise location and identification information. This feedback mechanism ensures that samples from different plots and locations can be accurately tracked and compared, maintaining data consistency across the global program.
4Measurement precision
If plot identification is performed manually, then equipment requirements remain simple, but identification accuracy deteriorates leading to mislabeled samples
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual plot identification with automated optical or sensor-based detection systems that read plot identifiers or use GPS/Geospatial positioning to automatically identify and track plot locations. This eliminates human error in identification while maintaining operational efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The automated identification system creates digital copies or records of plot identification data that are stored and tracked electronically. This digital tracking ensures accurate association of samples with their source plots without relying on manual labeling, preventing misidentification errors.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for sampling of plant product is provided that comprises a mobile platform, at least one primary bin, and a harvesting subsystem connected to the mobile platform. The harvesting subsystem harvests the plant product as the system traverses a plot and projects it across the length of the primary bin(s) against a back wall of the primary bin(s), whereby the separated plant products collides with the back wall and falls into the primary bin. The system additionally includes at least one sample volumizer connected to the back wall of each primary bin. Each sample volumizer has a specified fixed volume and receives and collects a sample of the plant product, wherein each collected sample collected has the specified fixed volume. The system further includes at least one sample receiving subsystem structured and operable to receive and collect a sample from a respective sample volumizer.