Robotic Hoe Arm for Precise Weed Removal With Minimal Soil Disturbance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing agricultural weed removal systems are either chemically oriented, which is undesirable for crops, or mechanically oriented, which are large, cumbersome, and difficult to operate without damaging desired plants or disturbing excessive soil.
Innovation Solution
A weed removal system integrated with an agricultural vehicle, featuring a robotic arm with a pivotable implement such as a circular hoe, allowing for precise targeting and removal of weeds while minimizing soil disturbance and avoiding desired plants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If chemical spray methods are used for weed removal, then weed elimination is effective, but specificity in targeting individual plants is poor and chemical contamination of crops occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful chemical substance from the weed removal process and replaces it with a mechanical removal tool. The robotic system uses a hoe to physically remove weeds without applying chemicals, thereby eliminating crop contamination while maintaining weed elimination effectiveness through precise mechanical action.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the chemical spray system with a mechanical hoeing system controlled by a robotic arm. This substitution allows for precise mechanical removal of weeds at the individual plant level, achieving both effective weed elimination and avoidance of chemical contamination.
2Reliability
If large mechanical weed removal systems are used, then weed removal capability is strong, but system size becomes large and cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the weed removal function from large conventional mechanical systems and implements it on a compact robotic platform. The robotic arm with hoe is a smaller, more manageable system that can be precisely controlled to perform weed removal without requiring large-scale mechanical equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a dynamically controllable robotic arm that can adjust its position, orientation, and hoe depth in real-time. This dynamic control allows a small system to achieve the weed removal capability of larger systems through precise, adaptive mechanical action rather than relying on system size.
3Reliability
If mechanical weed removal tools are used, then physical weed elimination is effective, but soil disturbance area increases beyond necessary minimum
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating the mechanical hoeing action precisely at the location of each detected weed. The robotic system targets individual weeds rather than treating broad areas, thereby maintaining effective physical weed elimination while minimizing soil disturbance to only the immediate vicinity of each weed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses partial action by applying mechanical removal only to the extent necessary for each individual weed. Rather than treating entire fields or large areas uniformly, the robotic system performs targeted, minimal intervention at each weed location, reducing overall soil disturbance while maintaining elimination effectiveness.
4Reliability
If conventional mechanical weeders are used, then weed removal is achieved, but difficulty in avoiding desired plants increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates visual feedback through cameras and image processing that continuously monitor the field and identify desired plants versus weeds. This feedback system guides the robotic arm to remove only weeds while avoiding desired plants, achieving both effective weed removal and high precision in plant discrimination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical weeders with a robotically controlled hoe system that can be precisely positioned and controlled. This mechanical substitution enables fine-grained control over where removal action occurs, allowing the system to distinguish between weeds and desired plants and apply mechanical removal only to weeds.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for efficient targeting or removal of weeds or other plants. The apparatus may include a vehicle having a frame, a motor and a plurality of ground engaging members adapted to propel the vehicle over a surface. It may also include a robotic arm comprising a distal portion and a proximal portion coupled to the frame, and an implement, such as a tool or hoe connected to the distal portion of the robotic arm. The implement can be raised and lowered, and also moved relative to the surface by the robotic arm by pivoting or rotating the robotic arm at or near the proximal portion.