Specialists of the Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU) have developed a mobile robot to combat the Colorado potato beetle - according to the developers, the device has no analogues in Russia. Implementation of the development will facilitate the work of farmers and reduce the amount of chemicals and fuel used, the TPU press service reported.
The functioning of the robot is based on a vision system. Polytechnics have already developed copyright software that allows them to recognize pests at all stages of development. The image obtained from the optical camera is processed taking into account not only the color, but also the shape of the pests. In just eight hours of operation, such a robot is capable of processing from six acres to a hectare of potato plantings, with minor modifications it can be used around the clock.
The main methods of controlling the Colorado potato beetle are still manual collection of insects and the treatment of fields with chemicals, the report said. The robot, designed to facilitate the work of farmers, consists of a self-propelled platform on wheels equipped with navigation systems, vision systems and chemical spot processing. He is able to destroy the larvae of pests by local treatment of plants with chemicals; The machine can shake off adults from the bush and also treat them with pesticides locally.
“The use of a robot will allow to minimize human participation, reduce the use of chemicals and fuel at times, and help increase yields,” said Alexander Tyryshkin, Project Manager, Associate Professor of the Automation and Robotics Department of the TPU School of Information Technology and Robotics. The method has already been presented at an international conference and received expert approval.
A prototype of the robot is presented at the exhibition "Tomsk Science for Agro-Industrial Complex" of the regional agro-industrial forum "New Challenges in Rural Development: Potential and Practice of Solutions". Field tests are planned for this summer. The created sample can be used on the territory of small farms, but the authors declare their readiness to develop a platform for large agricultural enterprises.
A source: http://specagro.ru
