Engineering Commons^™

Aicropcam: Deploying Classification, Segmentation, Detection, And Counting Deep-Learning Models For Crop Monitoring On The Edge, Nipuna Chamara, Geng (Frank) Bai, Yufeng Ge

Biological Systems Engineering: Papers and Publications

Precision Agriculture (PA) promises to meet the future demands for food, feed, fiber, and fuel while keeping their production sustainable and environmentally friendly. PA relies heavily on sensing technologies to inform site-specific decision supports for planting, irrigation, fertilization, spraying, and harvesting. Traditional point-based sensors enjoy small data sizes but are limited in their capacity to measure plant and canopy parameters. On the other hand, imaging sensors can be powerful in measuring a wide range of these parameters, especially when coupled with Artificial Intelligence. The challenge, however, is the lack of computing, electric power, and connectivity infrastructure in agricultural fields, preventing …

Vision And Radar Steering Reduces Agricultural Sprayer Operator Stress Without Compromising Steering Performance, Travis A. Burgers, Kelly J. Vanderwerff

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

Self-propelled agricultural sprayer operators work an average of 15 h d^-1 in peak season, and steering is the task that causes the operator the most stress because of the large number of stimuli involved. Automatic guidance systems help reduce stress and fatigue for operators by allowing them to focus on tasks other than steering. Physiological signals like skin conductance (electrodermal activity, EDA) change with stress and can be used to identify stressful events. The objective of this study was to determine if using a commercially available vision and radar guidance system (VSN®, Raven Industries) reduces agricultural sprayer operators’ stress …

A Theoretical Model Of Underground Dipole Antennas For Communications In Internet Of Underground Things, Abdul Salam, Mehmet C. Vuran, Xin Dong, Christos Argyropoulos, Suat Irmak

Faculty Publications

The realization of Internet of Underground Things (IOUT) relies on the establishment of reliable communication links, where the antenna becomes a major design component due to the significant impacts of soil. In this paper, a theoretical model is developed to capture the impacts of change of soil moisture on the return loss, resonant frequency, and bandwidth of a buried dipole antenna. Experiments are conducted in silty clay loam, sandy, and silt loam soil, to characterize the effects of soil, in an indoor testbed and field testbeds. It is shown that at subsurface burial depths (0.1-0.4m), change in soil moisture impacts …

As-Applied Estimation Of Volumetric Flow Rate From A Single Sprayer Nozzle Series Using Water-Sensitive Spray Cards, Michael P. Sama, John T. Evans, Aaron P. Turner, Surya Saket Dasika

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The objective of this study was to test the feasibility of using coverage measurements from water-sensitive spray cards to estimate the volumetric flow rate at an individual sprayer nozzle. TeeJet VisiFlow Even Flat Spray Tips were selected due to their uniform distribution of coverage. Spray distribution for each nozzle was validated using a spray patternator table with 2.5 cm sampling widths. A rotary test fixture translated water-sensitive spray cards through the spray dispersion (water at ambient conditions) at a constant angular velocity and a radius of 1.2 m. The test fixture measured volumetric flow and pressure at the nozzle and …

Recalibration Methodology To Compensate For Changing Fluid Properties In An Individual Nozzle Direct Injection System, Joe D. Luck, Scott A. Shearer, Brian D. Luck, Michael P. Sama

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Limited advancement of direct injection pesticide application systems has been made in recent years, which has hindered further commercialization of this technology. One approach to solving the lag and mixing issues typically associated with injection-based systems is high-pressure individual nozzle injection. However, accurate monitoring of the chemical concentrate flow rate can pose a challenge due to the high pressure, low flow, and changing viscosities of the fluid. A methodology was developed for recalibrating high-pressure chemical concentrate injectors to compensate for fluid property variations and evaluate the performance of this technique for operating injectors in an open-loop configuration. Specific objectives were …

Recalibration Methodology To Compensate For Changing Fluid Properties In An Individual Nozzle Direct Injection Systems, Joe D. Luck, S. A. Shearer, B. D. Luck, M. P. Sama

Biological Systems Engineering: Papers and Publications

Limited advancement of direct injection pesticide application systems has been made in recent years, which has hindered further commercialization of this technology. One approach to solving the lag and mixing issues typically associated with injection-based systems is high-pressure individual nozzle injection. However, accurate monitoring of the chemical concentrate flow rate can pose a challenge due to the high pressure, low flow, and changing viscosities of the fluid. A methodology was developed for recalibrating high-pressure chemical concentrate injectors to compensate for fluid property variations and evaluate the performance of this technique for operating injectors in an open-loop configuration. Specific objectives were …

Development And Evaluation Of A Cost Effective Plant Growth Media Moisture Sensor And Development Of An Aqueous Data Transmission System For Irrigation Purposes, Steven Michael Pickett

Masters Theses

The ability to accurately monitor and transit the moisture content of soilless growing media in the rooting zone is critical for plant-based research, production of high value crops, and other agricultural production. The focus of this study is the development and evaluation of a cost effective moisture sensor designed to measure the plant-available moisture content of growing media and the development of a aqueous data transmission method for relaying this information back to a central location. While there are currently many commercially available soil moisture sensors on the market, the aim of this research is not to develop a more …

Control System Development And Response Analysis Of An Electronically Actuated Variable-Orifice Nozzle For Agricultural Pesticide Applications, Joe D. Luck, Scott A. Shearer, Michael P. Sama, Santosh K. Pitla

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The goal of this research project was to further the development of an electromechanically controlled variable-orifice nozzle by creating an electronic control system and then evaluating that system based on step and ramp inputs. The control system was developed in a programming environment that combined an electronic data acquisition system and actuator with pressure and flow sensors. A proportional, variable-gain (based on system pressure) control system was developed to adjust nozzle flow rates to meet target application rates. The constraints were to achieve settling time of less than 1.0 s, overshoot of less than 10% of maximum flow (or minimum …

Flow, Spray Pattern, And Droplet Spectra Characteristics Of An Electronically Actuated Variable-Orifice Nozzle, Joe D. Luck, Santosh K. Pitla, Michael P. Sama, Scott A. Shearer

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate the flow rate, spray pattern, and droplet spectra characteristics of an actively controlled variable-orifice nozzle at constant carrier pressures. A commercially available variable-orifice nozzle (VariTarget) was modified to allow for direct electromechanical control of the metering stem. The modified system was tested at five carrier pressures ranging from 138 to 414 kPa and five metering stem (and thus orifice) positions. The metering stem position range was chosen because it provided a linear response in flow rate at each carrier pressure. Flow rate testing indicated a turndown ratio of 2.4:1 at …

Design Of Laser Multi-Beam Generator For Plant Discrimination, Sreten Askraba, Arie Paap, Kamal Alameh, John Rowe

Research outputs 2011

Optimisation of the optical signal from the laser multi-spot beam generator employed in a photonic based real-time plant discrimination sensor for use in selective herbicide spraying systems is presented. The plant detection sensor uses a three-wavelength laser diode module that sequentially emits identically-polarized laser light beams through a common aperture, along one optical path. Each laser beam enters a multi-spot beam generator which produces 15 parallel laser beams over a 240mm span. The intensity of the reflected light from each spot is detected by a high-speed line scan image sensor. Plant discrimination is based on calculating the slope of the …

Distribution Pattern Variability Of Granular Vrt Applicators, John P. Fulton, Scott A. Shearer, Stephen F. Higgins, Dennis Wayne Hancock, Timothy S. Stombaugh

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Granular applicators equipped with variable-rate technology (VRT) have gained popularity in recent years as a result of increased interest in variable-rate application. The purpose of this investigation was to characterize distribution patterns at varying rates for different granular applicators. Uniform-rate (UR) tests were conducted to assess the accuracy of variable-rate application from four granular applicators: two spinner-disc spreaders (A and B), and two pneumatic applicators (C and D). Pattern results indicated a consistent triangular pattern for spinner spreader B and consistent patterns for the pneumatic applicators (C and D). However, applicator D produced pattern variations at the center and right …

Rate Response Assessment From Various Granular Vrt Applicators, John P. Fulton, Scott A. Shearer, Stephen F. Higgins, Matthew J. Darr, Timothy S. Stombaugh

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Variable-rate technology (VRT) adds complexity to application equipment, thereby confounding the assessment of applicator performance. The intent of this investigation was to assess the rate response of various VRT granular applicators: two spinner spreaders (A and B), and two pneumatic applicators (C and D). Variable-rate (VR) tests were conducted to quantify the rate response characteristics (delay and transition times) for the applicators. A sigmoidal function was used to model the rate response for five of the six tests. Applicator A exhibited a linear response during decreasing rate changes. Results indicated that only applicator B demonstrated consistent delay and transition times, …

Crop Yield Response To Precision Deep Tillage, Larry G. Wells, Timothy S. Stombaugh, Scott A. Shearer

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Experimental precision deep tillage was applied at three sites in central Kentucky with relatively well-drained silt loam soils in no-till crop production. Fields were divided into 0.4 ha (1 ac) grid cells using DGPS mapping. Assessment of soil compaction by machinery traffic was made using multiple soil cone penetrometer measurements and expressed as cone index (CI). Corn, wheat, and soybean yields were depressed in grid cells with CI_avg ≥ 1.5 MPa (218 psi) prior to application of tillage treatments at sites 1 and 3, whereas at site 2, where most of the highest average CI values ranged from 1.44 …

Controller Area Network Based Distributed Control For Autonomous Vehicles, Matthew J. Darr, Timothy S. Stombaugh, Scott A. Shearer

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The goal of this project was to evaluate the potential of a controller area network (CAN bus) to be used as the communication network for a distributed control system on an autonomous agricultural vehicle. The prototype system utilized microcontroller-driven nodes to act as control points along a CAN bus. Messages were transferred to the steering, transmission, and hitch control nodes via a task computer. The task computer utilized global positioning system data to generate appropriate control commands. Laboratory and field testing demonstrated that each of the control nodes could function simultaneously over the CAN bus. Results showed that the task …

Rate Response Assessment From Various Granular Vrt Applicators, John P. Fulton, Scott A. Sherer, Stephen F. Higgins, Matthew J. Darr, Timothy S. Stombaugh

Matthew J. Darr

Variable-rate technology (VRT) adds complexity to application equipment, thereby confounding the assessment of applicator performance. The intent of this investigation was to assess the rate response of various VRT granular applicators: two spinner spreaders (A and B), and two pneumatic applicators (C and D). Variable-rate (VR) tests were conducted to quantify the rate response characteristics (delay and transition times) for the applicators. A sigmoidal function was used to model the rate response for five of the six tests. Applicator A exhibited a linear response during decreasing rate changes. Results indicated that only applicator B demonstrated consistent delay and transition times, …

Controller Area Network Based Distributed Control For Autonomous Vehicles, Matthew J. Darr, Timotthy S. Stombaugh, Scott A. Shearer

Matthew J. Darr

The goal of this project was to evaluate the potential of a controller area network (CAN bus) to be used as the communication network for a distributed control system on an autonomous agricultural vehicle. The prototype system utilized microcontroller-driven nodes to act as control points along a CAN bus. Messages were transferred to the steering, transmission, and hitch control nodes via a task computer. The task computer utilized global positioning system data to generate appropriate control commands. Laboratory and field testing demonstrated that each of the control nodes could function simultaneously over the CAN bus. Results showed that the task …

Comparison Of Vrt Granular Applicators, John P. Fulton, Scott A. Shearer, Steven F. Higgins, Timothy S. Stombaugh, Matthew J. Darr, Dennis W. Hancock, Edward L. Hutchins

Matthew J. Darr

Granular applicators equipped with variable-rate technology have gained popularity in recent years due to increased interests in variable-rate application. The purpose of this investigation was to characterize distribution patterns at varying rates and quantify rate transitions from various granular applicators. Both uniform- and variable-rate tests were conducted to assess the accuracy of variable-rate application from four granular applicators (2 spinner spreaders and 2 pneumatic applicators). The patterns results indicated a consistent triangular pattern for spinner spreader B and consistent patterns for pneumatic applicators C and D. However, applicator D produced pattern variations at the center and right side. Simulated overlap …

Simulation Of Fixed– And Variable–Rate Application Of Granular Materials, John Patrick Fulton, Scott A. Shearer, Timothy S. Stombaugh, Michael E. Anderson, Thomas F. Burks, Stephen F. Higgins

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Research has shown that application errors exist with variable–rate technology (VRT) systems. Consequently, using prescription maps for economic and agronomic analyses can generate misleading results. The intent of this article was to develop and validate a spatial data model for generating “as–applied” maps to support the advancement of precision agriculture practices. Previous research modified ASAE Standard S341.2 to include a 2–D matrix of collection pans to assess fixed–rate and variable–rate (VR) deposition of granular fertilizers and agricultural lime from a spinner disc spreader. The “as–applied” spatial data model uses GIS functionality to generate “as–applied” surfaces by merging distribution patterns and …

Comparison Of Sensors And Techniques For Crop Yield Mapping, Stuart J. Birrell, Kenneth A. Sudduth, Steven C. Borgett

Stuart J. Birrell

The implementation of site-specific crop management is dependent on the variations in yield and yield potential within a field. Crop yield maps are important for both the implementation and evaluation of site-specific crop management strategies. Management decisions and evaluations based on yield maps must take into consideration the accuracy and resolution of the maps.

An impact-based yield monitor and a volumetric yield monitor were compared. The effect of different dynamic models of combine grain flow on the calculated instantaneous yields were investigated. Both simple time delay models and first order models could be used to model the grain flow. In …