Autonomous robot shows future of agriculture at Cereals 2017
United Kingdom
May 3, 2017
An autonomous robot will demonstrate its potential role in the future agricultural landscape at Cereals 2017.
Named ‘Thorvald’, the lightweight unit will perform a wide variety of agricultural tasks on the AHDB stand (919).
Taking place in Lincolnshire on 14 and 15 June 2017, Thorvald will be operated by scientists from the University of Lincoln, who use it to support their field trials.
The robot forms part of the Cereals 2017 ‘Fields of the Future’ feature, which combines demonstrations from robotics to genetics to highlight what could be on the farm in the future.
About Thorvald
Thorvald can be fitted with sensing equipment to monitor crops and soils. It is capable of operating on uneven terrain and agile enough to navigate between rows of crops without touching plants. Guided by GPS, with a 24-hour operation time and designed for rapid 24/7 data transfer, Thorvald provides a glimpse into the future of agriculture.
Vital statistics
Price: £25,000 (projected maximum cost)
Weight: 180 kg base weight (plus additional equipment)
Battery: LiFePO4 lithium iron phosphate 48 V battery (provides good power density with a 24 h operation time)
Four wheel motors: 500 W each. Steered by 350 W independent motors
GPS navigation: Accuracy to 2 cm (used in conjunction with field boundary maps)
Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU): Measures Thorvald’s specific force and angular rate (via accelerometers, gyroscopes and magnetometers)
Work rate: Typical speed of 3.6 km/h (dependant on task). Working width of 1.5 m (covering up to 12.5 ha between charges)
Connectivity: 4G SIM card and modem for rapid 24/7 data transfer
Payload: 200 kg
Typical equipment
Cosmic-ray soil moisture monitoring: Senses soil moisture (over an area of about 20 ha)
Soil penetrometer: For soil compaction and condition mapping
Humidity sensors: For remote irrigation scheduling, blight prediction and disease-pressure monitoring
Hyperspectral camera: To detect early signs of plant stress (caused by diseases, pests or environmental conditions)
Biological sensors: Potential to measure a wide range of biological components (tissue, microorganisms, cell receptors, enzymes, antibodies and nucleic acids)
3D laser scanning: Uses a laser light to digitally capture the shape of objects. Measurements are non-contact and non-destructive and can be used to schedule vegetable harvests
Cameras: Range-finding cameras (2 and 3D) with digital imagery
Species
