Automated Plant Transfer Using Optical Viability Sorting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current agricultural systems lack an efficient method for automating the transfer of plants within facilities, leading to inefficiencies in space utilization and plant growth management, as plants are not optimally sorted by density and maturity stages, resulting in suboptimal growth conditions and reduced throughput.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilize autonomous loaders and robotic plant manipulators to transfer plants between modules of varying densities, based on viability parameters assessed through optical scans, ensuring plants are moved to appropriate growth stages with optimal light and nutrient access, thereby optimizing space efficiency and plant health.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If plants are grown at high density in modules, then space utilization is improved, but plant growth conditions deteriorate due to insufficient light and nutrient access
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts plant density by automatically transferring plants from high-density modules to low-density modules as they mature. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the facility to maximize space utilization during early growth stages while ensuring adequate light and nutrient access during later stages, resolving the contradiction between high density and growth conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary optical scanning and viability assessment of plants before transfer decisions are made. By assessing plant characteristics in advance and pre-positioning plants in appropriate density modules based on their growth stage, the system ensures optimal growth conditions are provided before density becomes a limiting factor
2Ease of operation
If manual transfer and sorting of plants is performed, then plant handling is simple, but productivity and throughput are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual mechanical handling with automated robotic manipulators that use optical scanning and computer vision to identify, grasp, and transfer plants. This substitution dramatically increases throughput while maintaining ease of operation through centralized control software that manages the entire transfer process
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates optical copies (digital images) of plants through scanning before physical transfer. These digital copies are used to assess plant viability, determine appropriate destination modules, and guide robotic manipulators during transfer, enabling high-speed automated decision-making without sacrificing handling precision
3Device complexity
If plants are not sorted by maturity stages and density, then operational complexity is reduced, but space efficiency and growth management deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically monitors and responds to changes in plant parameters (size, color, maturity stage) detected through optical scanning. Based on these parameter changes, the system automatically determines when plants should be transferred between modules of different densities, optimizing space efficiency without requiring complex manual assessment procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables modules to effectively self-manage their plant populations by automatically receiving transfer notifications and self-positioning in the facility based on their current density and the maturity stage of their plants. This self-service capability optimizes overall facility space efficiency while minimizing operational complexity
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 system enhances space efficiency by transferring plants to modules with lower densities as they mature, ensuring better growth conditions and increased throughput by automatically inspecting and sorting plants based on size, quality, and weight, thereby improving overall plant health and facility productivity.
Implementation Method 1
recording an optical scan of the first module with the optical sensor integrated into the loader
Data Source
AI summary
One variation of a method for automating transfer of plants within an agricultural facility includes: dispatching a loader to autonomously deliver a first module—defining a first array of plant slots at a first density and loaded with a first set of plants at a first growth stage—from a first grow location within an agricultural facility to a transfer station within the agricultural facility; dispatching the loader to autonomously deliver a second module—defining a second array of plant slots at a second density less than the first density and empty of plants—to the transfer station; recording a module-level optical scan of the first module; extracting a viability parameter of the first set of plants from features detected in the module-level optical scan; and if the viability parameter falls outside of a target viability range, rejecting transfer of the first set of plants from the first module.