Modular Precision Treatment Head for Targeted Crop Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current agricultural technologies face challenges in efficiently and sustainably increasing food production to meet the demands of a growing global population, with existing methods being incremental and requiring significant resources in terms of land, chemicals, time, and labor.
Innovation Solution
An agricultural treatment system utilizing a moveable treatment head assembly with motorized control and a fluid or laser treatment unit, capable of precision spraying or photoablation, which includes a controller to adjust the position of the treatment head and emit fluids or laser light based on the growth stage and treatment history of individual agricultural objects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional agricultural techniques are used to increase food production, then output increases, but resource consumption (land, chemicals, time, labor) increases proportionally
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies treatments locally to specific agricultural objects rather than uniformly across entire fields. The movable treatment head assembly with motorized control delivers fluids or laser light precisely to targeted objects based on their growth stage and treatment history, eliminating wasteful blanket applications and reducing overall chemical and energy consumption while maintaining or improving productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical spraying systems with a hybrid approach that includes laser light delivery. The laser module can photoablate or treat targets without physical contact, reducing the need for large volumes of chemicals and traditional mechanical spray equipment, thereby decreasing resource consumption while maintaining treatment effectiveness
2Productivity
If precision treatment is applied to individual agricultural objects, then treatment efficiency improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The treatment system is segmented into modular components: a movable treatment head assembly with separate fluid delivery and laser modules, each controlled independently. This segmentation allows the system to achieve precision treatment through coordinated simple actions rather than requiring a single complex integrated system, managing complexity while improving treatment efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The treatment head assembly is designed to be movable with motorized control, allowing dynamic adjustment of position and orientation. This dynamic capability enables the system to adapt to different agricultural objects and treatment requirements without requiring multiple fixed complex systems, achieving precision through flexibility rather than complexity
3Measurement precision
If motorized control is used to adjust treatment head position, then positioning precision improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The motorized control system is integrated directly into the treatment head assembly, allowing it to autonomously adjust its position and orientation based on treatment requirements. This self-service capability eliminates the need for external complex positioning mechanisms, achieving precise positioning with minimal energy input by using small integrated motors only when adjustment is needed rather than continuous energy consumption
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 enables precise and efficient treatment of agricultural objects, optimizing resource use and improving crop management by delivering targeted treatments, thereby enhancing food production efficiency and sustainability.
Implementation Method 1
A flexible tube may fluidly be coupled from the fluid regulator to the treatment head assembly. The treatment head assembly may include a spraying head and one or more spraying tips to emit the released fluid.
Implementation Method 2
The treatment unit may emit a laser light generated from a laser light source. A fiber optic cable may be configured to receive the generated laser light from the laser light source.
Implementation Method 3
A fiber optic cable may be configured to receive the generated laser light from the laser light source. The fiber optic cable may be couple to a laser emitting tip positioned on the treatment head.
Implementation Method 4
In mode of operation, the rotation of the first motor causes the treatment head assembly to pivot along the first axis, and the rotation of the second motor causes the treatment head assembly to pivot along the second axis.
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments of an apparatus, methods, systems and computer program products described herein are directed to an agricultural observation and treatment system and method of operation. The agricultural treatment system uses a treatment unit for spraying fluid at agricultural objects. The treatment unit is configured with a treatment head assembly that includes a moveable treatment head with one or more spraying tips. A first and second motor assembly are operated by the treatment unit to control the movement of the treatment head. The first motor assembly includes a first motor rotatable in a first rotational axis. A first linkage assembly is connected to the first motor and the treatment head assembly. The first linkage assembly is rotatable by the first motor. The second linkage assembly is rotatable by the second motor.