Reflectance Measurement Using Digital Camera and Reference Objects
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for measuring reflectance and determining indices like NDVI are costly, proprietary, and difficult to customize, making them inaccessible to those who need to monitor plant health effectively.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus using digital cameras with off-the-shelf components, such as the Raspberry Pi Camera Module, and electromagnetic radiation filters to determine reflectance and indices like NDVI by capturing images of target objects and reference objects with predetermined reflectance characteristics, allowing for accurate and cost-effective monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional proprietary systems are used for measuring reflectance, then measurement precision is improved, but cost and device complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive proprietary reflectance measurement systems with inexpensive off-the-shelf digital camera modules (such as Raspberry Pi Camera Module) that can be easily obtained and replaced. These cheap camera modules achieve sufficient measurement precision for agricultural monitoring applications without requiring complex proprietary hardware designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a simplified copy of professional reflectance measurement functionality using standard digital camera technology. By capturing images through the camera module and processing the digital data to derive reflectance values, the system replicates the core functionality of expensive proprietary systems using readily available components.
2Measurement precision
If conventional proprietary systems are used for measuring reflectance, then measurement precision is improved, but accessibility and ease of manufacture worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses inexpensive, commercially available digital camera modules that can be easily purchased from standard electronics retailers. This dramatically improves accessibility compared to proprietary systems, allowing individual farmers, researchers, and small-scale operations to afford and implement reflectance monitoring without requiring specialized equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent leverages the universality of standard digital camera modules that serve multiple purposes (photography, video, reflectance measurement) rather than requiring dedicated specialized equipment. This multi-functionality improves ease of manufacture and deployment since the same camera hardware can be used for various agricultural monitoring applications.
3Reliability
If conventional proprietary systems are used for measuring reflectance, then reliability is improved, but adaptability and customization worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adaptability by allowing the system to be configured for different wavelength ranges and measurement requirements through software processing of camera images. The same physical camera module can be adapted to measure reflectance in different spectral bands by adjusting image processing parameters and calibration procedures, providing versatility without requiring multiple specialized hardware systems.
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
Enables accurate determination of reflectance and indices like NDVI at a lower cost than existing solutions, using widely available components, and allows for customization, making it accessible for monitoring plant health in various environments.
Implementation Method 1
A digital image is provided including at least one target object and a plurality of reference objects... with a digital camera arrangement that provides output image data that comprises digital numbers that are responsive to radiation... incident at a sensing plane
Implementation Method 2
A method and apparatus using digital cameras with off-the-shelf components, such as the Raspberry Pi Camera Module, and electromagnetic radiation filters to determine reflectance and indices like NDVI
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for determining a reflectance, of at least a portion of a target object, in at least one selected wavelength range of electromagnetic (EM) radiation are disclosed. The method comprises, for each selected wavelength range, providing a digital image including at least one target object and a plurality of reference objects, each reference object having respective non-identical predetermined reflectance characteristics, with a digital camera arrangement that provides output image data that comprises digital numbers that are responsive to radiation, in only a selected wavelength range, incident at a sensing plane of the digital camera arrangement. A relationship between a first set of the digital numbers is determined and a first set of the respective predetermined reflectance characteristics of the reference objects. Responsive to the relationship, a further set of digital numbers is transformed to allocate a value of reflectance for each of the digital numbers in the further set. For at least a portion of the target object, a corresponding first group of allocated values of reflectance is determined and responsive to the first group of allocated values, determining a reflectance of the portion of the target object.