• IEMEK Journal of Embedded Systems and Applications
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.269-279
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• 2020

This paper presents the design and implementation of embedded systems and autonomous path generation for autonomous speed sprayer. Autonomous Orchard Systems can be divided into embedded controller and path generation module. Embedded controller receives analog sensor data, on/off switch data and control linear actuator, break, clutch and steering module. In path generation part, we get 3D cloud point using Velodyne VLP16 LIDAR sensor and process the point cloud to generate maps, do localization, generate driving path. Then, it finally generates velocity and rotation angle in real time, and sends the data to embedded controller. Embedded controller controls steering wheel based on the received data. The developed autonomous speed sprayer is verified in test-bed with apple tree-shaped artworks.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.209-216
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• 1999

A self-travelling sprayer was developed to avoid the exposure of an operator to agricultural chemicals and exhaust gas, to improve safety and to increase working efficiency during the application and transport work in the greenhouses. This system consists of self-travelling system and the control system for application and safety device. The auto-spray car is equipped with a liquid chemical tank of 80l capacity. The travelling system adopted mechanical steering system which link mechanism of front wheel is guided by guide rollers. The sprayer travels along the guiding pipe which is set on the furrow in the greenhouses. The sprayer stops automatically applying and traveling when the liquid chemical tank becomes empty or when the sprayer reach the turning point. The spray booms swings in a vertical plane. The control system of safety devices controls the automatic stop of the sprayer when there is an obstacle on the traveling path, or when the battery becomes discharged. The auto-spray car traveled smoothly and steadily along the guide pipe during traveling straightly and turning on the ground.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.226-235
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• 1995

An unmanned speed sprayer was developed using a remote control and an inductive cable guidance systems to protect operators and environment from hazardous pesticides. The sprayer consists of a remote control system, an induction system, obstacle detectors, control actuators and an one-chip microcomputer. The sprayer can be operated by the induction guidance and/or remote control. The following summarize characteristics of the developed speed sprayer. 1) Both the remote control and the induction guidance operation were possible with the developed speed sprayer. 2) Sixteen functions of the forwarding, backing, halting, steering, 3-way valve for nozzles and fan operating etc. were utilized on the remote control system. 3) It was concluded that the DTMF method, having less transmitting error, performed better than the FSK method for an agricultural remote controller. A radio station may be necessary. 4) The digital inductive guidance system, consisting of five low-impedance detection coils and a window comparator circuit, performed better than the analog detecting system, guiding route using inductive voltage differential from tow detection coils.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.287-295
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• 2012

Purpose: Some of the most representative approaches are to apply next generation technologies to save energy consumption, fully automated control system to appropriately maintain environmental conditions, and autonomous assistance system to reduce labor load and ensure operator's safety. Nevertheless, improvement of upcoming method for soil cultured greenhouse has not been sufficiently achieved. Geometrical complexity of ground in protected crop cultivation might be one of the most dominant factors in design of autonomous vehicle. While there is a practical solution fairly enough to promise an accurate travelling, such as autonomous sprayer guided by rail or induction coil, for various reasons including the limitation of producer's budget, the previously developed sprayer has not been widely distributed to market. Methods: In this study, we developed an autonomous sprayer considering travelling performance on geometrical complexity of ground in soil cultured greenhouse. To maintain a stable travelling and to acquire a real time feedback, common wire with 80 mm thick and body frame and sprayer boom. To evaluate performance of the prototype, tracking performance, climbing performance and spraying boom's uniform leveling performance were individually evaluated by corresponding experimental tests. Results: The autonomous guidance system was proved to be sufficiently suitable for accurate linear traveling with RMS as lower than approximately 10 cm from designated path. Also the prototype could climb $10^{\circ}$ of ground's slope angle with 40 kg of water weight. Uniform leveling of spraying boom was successfully performed within $0.5^{\circ}$ of sprayer boom's slope. Conclusions: Considering more complex pathways and coarse ground conditions, evaluations and improvements of the prototype should be performed for promising reliability to commercialization.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.258-264
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• 2017

Purpose: This study determines the spray characteristics and effective spray width of a tractor-mounted commercial boom sprayer through experiments. Methods: Performance tests were conducted to investigate the spray characteristics of the nozzles on a commercial boom sprayer. The flow rate and spray width of a single nozzle were measured at three levels of spray pressure (0.5, 0.7, and 1.0 MPa) and spray height (15, 30, and 45 cm), respectively. The average value of three repetition tests was used as the representative value. A coefficient of variation (CV) was used as an index of spray uniformity, and the width that guarantees CV values of approximately 15% was determined as the effective spray width. The spray characteristics of the overall boom sprayer were derived analytically by superimposing the spray characteristics of a single nozzle. Results: The test results for a single nozzle showed that the spray width tended to increase as the spray height and spray pressure increased. The effective spray width for a single nozzle was the largest at a spray pressure of 1.0 MPa and spray height of 45 cm, which resulted in a coverage of 84 cm of width. The effective spray width for the entire boom sprayer was also the largest at the spray pressure of 1.0 MPa and spray height of 45 cm, with a magnitude of 424.5 cm. The chemical spraying work in an actual field was simulated by applying a spray width of 400 cm. As a result of the operation for three swaths, the CV value was less than 10% for 1,200 cm of the overall spray width, which meant that uniform application was achieved. Conclusions: It was reasonable to set the effective spray width of the boom sprayer used in this study to 400 cm.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.303-308
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• 2013

A remote controlled sprayer has designed, manufactured and experimented to spray well on pear trees with pesticides. This study was executed to automate pest management of pear trees. Types of spray nozzle, which was used on the system, were analyzed experimentally to find an optimal spray equipment configuration with several nozzles. Attributions of ultrasonic sensors were analyzed to adjust spraying distance of an unmanned sprayer system. This paper investigated shapes of pear trees and cultivating environment of pear orchard. In order to select optimal spray environment, liquid distribution was measured while angle of nozzle was changed. Additionally, liquid distribution by distance and sprayed liquid capacity by side distance were measured. According to information of shapes of pear trees and cultivating environment of pear orchard, sprayer frames of an unmanned sprayer system were manufactured and sprayer frames were suitable for interval of pear trees. The sprayer system could adjust width of sprayer frames to 2.5 m and height of sprayer frames to 1.7 m. Optimal angle of nozzle, and optimal distance between objects and nozzle were $15^{\circ}$ and 0.8 m. When side distance was placed from 1.2 m to 1.8 m, sprayed capacity reached to the highest amount.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.281-288
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• 2007

This research was carried out to propose the Korean method for estimating the agricultural occupational pesticide exposure level in orchard. The UK-POEM (UK-Predictive Operator Exposure Model) was proposed as a bench-marking model and analysed its performance properties. To extrapolate the Korean agricultural conditions, application equipment, application method, work rate per day, application volume and spraying time of pesticide was surveyed for Korean 204 orchard farmhouse. This survey indicate that the major application equipments are speed sprayer(64.9%) and motor sprayer(33.9%). When they spayed the pesticide with a speed sprayer, they worked for more than 4 hours on area of 4 ha per day. In case of using motor sprayer, they worked for more than 4 hours on area of 1 ha. Based on the above survey result, Korean method for estimating the pesticide exposure level of agricultural worker was proposed finally.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.264-270
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• 2016

This study was conducted to compare of the pesticide residue amounts in fruit trees applied by different sprayers and spray volumes. Apple tree was used as a sample tree, and speed sprayer, power sprayer and knapsack motorized sprayer were tested. For similar sprayer and spray volume, the concentration of fluquinconazole and flusilazole in apple leaves were obtained respectively, for speed sprayer 8.33 and 2.15 mg/kg, for power sprayer 4.56 and 1.10 mg/kg, and for knapsack 4.55 and 1.12 mg/kg. The results showed that the treatment using speed sprayer had highest efficiency. The pesticide residues in apple leaves sprayed by 3 different spray volumes (560, 336 and 230 L/10a) using speed sprayer were 10.76 mg/kg, 8.32 mg/kg, 6.04 mg/kg on fluqinconazle and 3.04 mg/kg, 2.14 mg/kg and 1.47 mg/kg on flusilazole, respectively, indicating that the higher the volume, the higher the residues. The results from this study can be used as scientific basis for evaluating the field trial data for pesticide registration and the spray volume setting for fruit trees in Korea.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.145-152
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• 2007

Uniformity of spray deposit is one of the important factors in spray performance affecting efficacy of pest management. Distributions of spray deposit on artificial targets were measured and analyzed to enhance the efficiency of spray application. The research was studied to understand the deposition characteristics of spray droplets and to determine the optimum conditions of chemical application. The deposit and its pattern by the lower fan speed was more uniform and higher than that by the higher fan speed. The upward blasting distance was limited within 3 m, but the limit to the ground level was expanded the distance more than 3.5 m because of the accumulated droplets. When the fan speed was higher at the distance of 2.5 m, deposit reached to maximum. When the distance increased, deposit was getting lower. At the both fan speeds, the deposit was concentrated below $30^{\circ}$ because of the gravitation and the resistance of wind. This research can be useful in designing an orchard sprayer and its operation for various tree canopies. To achieve a uniform distribution of deposit using the air-blast type orchard sprayer, the application rate from the middle boom should be increased as the air velocity to the upward increased. The spray rate to the side boom should be limited in a minimal level.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.115-124
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• 1998

Over- and under-application of pesticides to crops have recently become main concerns regarding the environment conservation, product cost and firmer's safety. Thus, a uniform and optimal application method of pesticides was needed. The objective of study was to evaluate flow compensating characteristics of a variable flow control system for a boom sprayer using a laboratory setup. At the most variable conditions, the control system was acceptable with the flowrate control strategy. However, the sprayer control system became unstably fluctuating at the long execution time with small tolerance because of the constant valve on-time. This problem was solved by employing a variable on-time control. The optimal values for the damping ratio and the execution time were 2 and 1.0 sec, respectively, with the tolerances less than 3%. The performance of the control system at the optimal conditions were the response time of 3.8sec and the absolute steady-state error of 0.5% with the stable RCV and ROS ( < 1.0).