By Mark Brown, Wired UK
This self-steering robotic tractor uses GPS and a raft of smart sensors to drive over farmland, till the fields and orientate itself to different terrain following a pre-programmed route with no one at the wheel.
It's the creation of two Belgian universities, Flanders' Mechatronics Technology Centre and Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Biosystems Department. Researchers from the two schools will present robotractor at the 30th Annual International Agriculture and Horticulture Days of Mechanisation in Oudenaarde this month.
[partner id="wireduk"]Developing a robotractor is, like developing an autonomous car, is a difficult task and one with its own hurdles to overcome. To make it work, the machine must observe its position, make decisions, and decide speed and orientation much like a human.
“Only experienced tractor operators have the skills needed to work a field with precision," said project engineer Erik Hostens. "The job of an operator is really quite complex: He observes the tractor’s current position, makes a judgment based on terrain conditions and the route to be followed and, based on all this, decides the speed and orientation of the tractor. All these actions had to be integrated into the automated steering system."
To provide this information, the basic propulsion system -- which handles braking, accelerating and steering -- is augmented with positional sensors and GPS device.
"The system registers positional changes in real-time with a GPS and adjusts itself accordingly," Hostens said.
Another tricky hurdle is accounting for variable traction and terrain. Mud, dirt and bogs can stymie even the best tractor operator, so robotractor must sense the terrain and change its approach accordingly.
"We developed a steering system that intuits terrain conditions and estimates the expected wheel slippage," says researcher Gregory Pinte. "Based on a model of the tractor, the optimal speed and turning radius is calculated -- in real-time -- for the current terrain type. This 'smart steering' allows for precision down to the centimeter."
So what's the point? The researchers said an automated system can provide precise control of farm machinery to maximize efficiency and productivity while reducing labor costs.
Video: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
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