Comparison of the performance of Ultrasonic sensors and single load cell impact plate for estimating the mass of Chinese Cabbage

샤피크키라가 ( Shafik Kiraga ),레자나심 ( Nasim Reza ),초두리밀런 ( Milon Chowdhury ),구란다즈아스라푸자만 ( Gulandaz Md Ashrafuzzaman ),정선옥 ( Sun-ok Chung ) 한국농업기계학회 2021 한국농업기계학회 학술발표논문집 Vol.26 No.2

Chinese cabbage is a commercially valuable crop due to its various uses. Among its important quality parameters is mass, which can be used in the development of yield maps for yield monitoring. Previous research focused mostly on the use of load cell(s) and stereo-based approaches for mass estimation. This study aimed to propose a new method of mass estimation using three HY-SRF05 ultrasonic sensors, and compare it’s performance to that of a single load cell under laboratory conditions. An impact plate was fabricated and installed to receive impact of Cabbage as it dropped off an inclined conveyor. The load cell was calibrated with different loads and achieved an R2 fit of 0.986. Cabbage mass was calculated from the load cell signals. The effects of different dropping heights, plate angles, and conveyor speeds were also investigated. On the same conveyor, three sensors, two installed opposite to each other and at the top, were first calibrated using known distances, and then used to measure Cabbage length and thickness. Cabbage mass was calculated from its volume assuming an elliptical shape.. The proposed method had a mass estimation accuracy greater than 91%, slightly lower than that for the load cell’s 95%. The proposed method showed potential for mass estimation.

Potential of impact-based mass estimation of individual radish tubers for real-time yield monitoring

키라가샤피크 ( Shafik Kiraga ),구란다즈아스라푸자만 ( Ashraffuzaman Gulandaz ),카비르사자둘 ( Kabir Sazzadul ),레자나심 ( Nasim Reza ),정선옥 ( Sun-ok Chung ) 한국농업기계학회 2022 한국농업기계학회 학술발표논문집 Vol.27 No.1

Yield monitoring provides information on the spatial variability of yield in the field and it is one of the basic components of precision agriculture. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different harvesting conditions on radish mass measurements using a double load cell impact plate. The harvesting conditions included the falling height, conveyor speed, and impact plate angle, which were simulated using an impact plate attached to a laboratory test bench. The relative error (RE), standard error (SE), and the coefficient of determination (R2) were the statistical indicators used to describe the accuracy of the estimates. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) without interaction of factors and the Duncan multiple range tests were performed using the above indicators except R2. The falling height and conveyor speed had no significant effect on radish mass measurement. In contrast, the impact plate angle significantly affected the impact plate precision. Minimum and maximum standard error of 1.68 and 4.39 were obtained at -100, 40 cm, 0.05 m/s and -500, 30 cm, 0.25 m/s, respectively. The results showed the possibility of using impact-based sensors for individual measurement of radish for real-time yield monitoring.

농업용 붐 분무기의 노즐 높이 및 분무 균일 성 측정을 위한 초음파 센서에 대한 온도의 영향

샤피크키라가 ( Shafik Kiraga ),레자나심 ( Md Nasim Reza ),초두리밀런 ( Milon Chowdhury ),이슬람나피울 ( Md Nafiul Islam ),정선옥 ( Sun-ok Chung ) 한국농업기계학회 2021 한국농업기계학회 학술발표논문집 Vol.26 No.1

The increasing popularity of boom height controllers requires a desired nozzle height above the spray targets for effective spraying. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of temperature on nozzle height measurement using ultrasonic sensors and the impact on spray uniformity. Experiments were carried out with a constant nozzle spacing of 50 cm and a pressure of 600 kPa considering temperature compensation and non-compensation states of ultrasonic sensor measurements. Nozzle heights of 30, 50, and 70 cm were selected for reference. Two measurements were carried out for each selected height with a temperature compensated and non-compensated state at 15, 25, and 300C. The spray distribution was also determined for each measurements. Coefficient of Variation (CV) and percent measurement error (ME) were used to characterize spray uniformity and temperature effect on height measurement. The estimated heights with temperature compensation were closer to the reference heights, which exhibits a low ME. The ME increased from low to high temperatures. Temperature compensated heights resulted in more even spraying trends, with lower CV values accompanied by non-compensated heights. Our findings showed that, ultrasonic sensors need temperature correction for proper Nozzle height measurement and optimal spray distribution.

Improving Nutrient Use Efficiency Through Fertigation Supported by Machine Learning and Internet of Things in a Context of Developing Countries: Lessons for Sub-Saharan Africa

Wanyama Joshua,Kiraga Shafik,Bwambale Erion,Katimbo Abia 한국농업기계학회 2023 바이오시스템공학 Vol.48 No.4

Purpose The most fundamental requirements of humanity are met by agriculture, and in the last century, innovative farming methods have helped to keep up with the increasing demand for food and other agricultural goods. Machine learning, IoT, fertigation, and other cutting-edge technology may be used to help producers make decisions that will boost crop production. The objective of this paper was to explore the relevance of machine learning and IoT to improve nitrogen use efficiency in drip-fertigated systems as well as assess the potential adoption of these technologies in developing countries. Methods Previous studies focused on the application of IoT and machine learning in drip-fertigated systems were summarized. Also, the complexity and breadth of technical knowledge and expertise required to adopt these systems in developing nations were discussed, using Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) as the case study. Results Application of IoT and ML in drip-fertigated systems is still an emerging field most especially in developing countries such as SSA. Therefore, there is more need of extensive research focusing on utilising organic fertilizers, low-power IoT systems and connectivity, and developing farmer advisory decision support systems which integrates remote sensing techniques for nitrogen management in crops. Conclusion With the advancement in machine learning and IoT, both can now be employed in agriculture to guide nitrogen management decisions to improve crop production.

Basic performance test for sound detection and remote monitoring in Pig Farm

레자나심 ( Nasim Reza ),초두리밀론 ( Milon Chowdhury ),키라가샤피크 ( Shafik Kiraga ),정선옥 ( Sun-ok Chung ) 한국농업기계학회 2021 한국농업기계학회 학술발표논문집 Vol.26 No.2

Precision livestock farming is an intelligent technology, which allows the closer monitoring of each animal on farms. Sound based precision farming provides considerable benefits compared to other technology, such as imaging sensor, motion sensors, etc. In addition, sound sensors are inexpensive, no direct contact, and a huge number of animal can be observed using a single sensor. The objective of this study was to investigate a remotely monitored sound detection and imaging system in pig farm for early detection of respiratory diseases. Three microphones and three RGB cameras with three micro-controller were used to receive the sound and image data in the pig farm. Total 30 pigs were covered by our surveillance system. A sound analysis algorithm was developed to record the sounds received by the microphones and distinguished the pig sounds from the outside noises. The sound was then processed by the algorithm to detect the abnormal sound of pigs. The images were synchronized and used to monitor the unwanted movement and behaviour. High, medium, and low frequency sounds were detected. The results showed that the detection efficiency for high frequency sound was around 85%, and for low frequency sound was 73%. Moreover, movement of pigs were also monitored by images. From this study, it would be feasible to recognize early respiratory illness in pigs through automated and sequential monitoring of sounds and images within the pig farm.

Construction and basic performance test of an ICT-based irrigation monitoring system for rice cultivation in UAE desert soil

ALI MOHAMMOD,Reza Md Nasim,Kiraga Shafik,ISLAM MD NAFIUL,Chowdhury Milon,정재혁,정선옥 충남대학교 농업과학연구소 2021 Korean Journal of Agricultural Science Vol.48 No.4

An irrigation monitoring system is an efficient approach to save water and to provide effective irrigation scheduling for rice cultivation in desert soils. This research aimed to design, fabricate, and evaluate the basic performance of an irrigation monitoring system based on information and communication technology (ICT) for rice cultivation under drip and micro-sprinkler irrigation in desert soils using a Raspberry Pi. A data acquisition system was installed and tested inside a rice cultivating net house at the United Arab Emirates University, Al-Foah, AlAin. The Raspberry Pi operating system was used to control the irrigation and to monitor the soil water content, ambient temperature, humidity, and light intensity inside the net house. Soil water content sensors were placed in the desert soil at depths of 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 cm. A sensor-based automatic irrigation logic circuit was used to control the actuators and to manage the crop irrigation operations depending on the soil water content requirements. A developed webserver was used to store the sensor data and update the actuator status by communicating via the Pi-embedded Wi-Fi network. The maximum and minimum average soil water contents, ambient temperatures, humidity levels, and light intensity values were monitored as 33.91 ± 2 to 26.95 ± 1%, 45 ± 3 to 24 ± 3℃, 58 ± 2 to 50 ± 4%, and 7160 - 90 lx, respectively, during the experimental period. The ICT-based monitoring system ensured precise irrigation scheduling and better performance to provide an adequate water supply and information about the ambient environment.

Image based algorithm for growth prediction of pennywort plant grown in a plant factory

이슬람수마이야 ( Sumaiya Islam ),레자나심 ( Nasim Reza ),초두리밀론 ( Milon Chowdhury ),키라가샤피크 ( Shafik Kiraga ),정선옥 ( Sun-ok Chung ) 한국농업기계학회 2021 한국농업기계학회 학술발표논문집 Vol.26 No.2

Plant growth prediction typically relies on the estimation of changes in plant structure and size. The leaf is one of the visual structures of plants, which has a significant impact on growth. The objective of this study was to predict pennywort plant growth using an image processing algorithm. Pennywort plant was grown in the plant factory, where ambient environmental variables were maintained precisely. The experiment was carried out for four weeks. RGB images of the plant were captured by a digital camera from the top of the plants everyday. In the image processing algorithm, the images were converted to grayscale and then binary masking was applied to classify each pixel as belonging to the region of interest. The masked images were segmented from the background. Then the region filling technique was applied to fill out the leaf region. We calculated the total pixel number in the image leaf area and calculated the leaf area using reference object. Actual plant leaf area was also continuously measured by a leaf area meter with specific time intervals without hindering plant growth. Our proposed algorithm demonstrated a high correlation of 0.954 between the actual and image-based leaf area measurements. A linear regression curve was found and growth was predicted using the desired cultivation period on the regression equation. Growth prediction model showed the potentiality to estimate plant growth cultivated in controlled environment.

Sensor-Based Nutrient Recirculation for Aeroponic Lettuce Cultivation

Chowdhury Milon,ISLAM MD NAFIUL,Reza Md Nasim,ALI MOHAMMOD,Rasool Kamal,Kiraga Shafik,이대현,정선옥 한국농업기계학회 2021 바이오시스템공학 Vol.46 No.1

Purpose The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of used-nutrient solution recirculation on nutrient efficiency improvement and reduction of environmental pollution of an ion-selective electrodes (ISEs)-based recycle-type aeroponic crop cultivation system. Methods A recycle-type aeroponic crop cultivation test bench was fabricated, which consisted of K+, NO3-, and Ca2+ ISEs, pH, and EC sensor, and lettuce were cultivated for inspecting the nutrient solution recirculation process. The specific growth rate of lettuce was evaluated. Different percentages of the used-solution (20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100% of the target volume) were recirculated to find a proper recirculation volume for maintaining the target nutrient level with the minimum supply of stock solutions. The nutrient saving percentage was determined by comparing the nutrient solution requirement with the open-type aeroponic system and open-field cultivation practices. Reduction of environmental pollution was assessed based on the possible environmental pollutions (i.e., surface water pollution, groundwater contamination, and contaminant deposition in the human body), which could be occurred by the direct discharge of the hydroponic nutrient solution. Results The minimum amount of stock solutions were required during the 60%used-solution recirculation. The nutrient solution requirement of the recycle-type aeroponic system was almost 3 to 5 times less than the open-type aeroponic system, and 3 to 6 times less than open-field cultivation based on nutrient consumption rates at different growth stages. An open-type aeroponic system might require more nutrient solution than the open-field cultivation practices based on the frequency of nutrient solution supply in the crop root zone. Although, the discharged nutrient solution increased the K+, NO3-, andCa2+ ion levels a little in the considered surface water reservoir, groundwater, and human body, long-term discharge of the high concentrated hydroponic nutrient solution would be hazardous. Conclusion The findings of this study showed that the nutrient saving efficiency of a recycle-type crop cultivation system is higher compared to the open-type and conventional cultivation practices, which can minimize the cultivation cost notably, and the environmental pollutions can be reduced significantly through the sensor-based nutrient management.

자주식 양파정식기 슬라이딩 메쉬형 기어박스의 동력전달 해석

이슬람나피울 ( Md Nafiul Islam ),알리모하마드 ( Mohammod Ali ),키라가샤피크 ( Shafik Kiraga ),초두리밀론 ( Milon Chowdhury ),권행주 ( Haing-ju Kwon ),정선옥 ( Sun-ok Chung ) 한국농업기계학회 2021 한국농업기계학회 학술발표논문집 Vol.26 No.1

An appropriate gearbox selection is essential to avoid transmission losses and convey the engine power to the transplanter components efficiently. Therefore, the objective of this research was to simulate the power transmission of a self-propelled onion transplanter gearbox for calculating the power loss and efficiency. The automatic transplanter power transmission scheme consists of wheels, and dibbling mechanism, and picking mechanism. A computer-aided gear efficiency calculation software package was used to develop a three-dimensional simulation model for the automatic onion transplanter. A V-belt with pulley and nine gear stages sliding mesh type gearbox were used to transmit power from engine to wheel and other transplanter components. The last two gear sets were used as dibbling and picking mechanism gear shafts, respectively. The transmission load was measured at the input shaft of the gearbox, and the driving axle load was measured at the final drive shaft. The load measurements were made at three-speed levels. The input power of the gearbox was 1.7 kW, and the last stage of power (picking scheme) was found as 0.8 kW. The overall efficiency of this gearbox was found as 83.39%. The outcomes of the research would provide a significant reference for the development a power transmission scheme for efficient automatic onion transplanting.

Theoretical Overturning Analysis of a 2.6-kW Two-Row Walking-Type Automatic Pepper Transplanter

IQBAL MD ZAFAR,Islam Md Nafiul,ALI MOHAMMOD,Kiraga Shafik,김용주,정선옥 한국농업기계학회 2022 바이오시스템공학 Vol.47 No.1

Purpose Overturning on uneven and sloped surfaces is an important issue during the operation of agricultural field machinery. In this study, the geometrical (size and location) parameters of a pepper transplanter under development were optimized by theoretical overturning analysis to maintain stability during the operation. Methods A walking-type transplanter was designed to transplant pepper seedlings in a two-row cultivation pattern so that the transplanting could be completed using three primary mechanisms for seeding, i.e., supply, picking, and dibbling. The four-wheel transplanter was designed to work with three different forward speeds (i.e., 0.3m/s, 0.65 m/s, and 1.3 m/s). Mathematical and 3-D models were constructed both for static and dynamic conditions, and simulation was performed using a commercial software package to minimize the overturning tendency of the transplanter. Results Considering the plant ridge height and width, the track width and wheelbase of the transplanter were determined to be 725mmand 680mm, respectively. The positions of the mechanisms were optimized to maintain the center of gravity (CG) of the transplanter in the middle point of the stability area with a 436.26 mm height from the ground. During the static analysis, the transplanter was overturned laterally and longitudinally at slope angles of 40.67° and 36.26°, respectively. The transplanter overturned when the angles exceeded 29.3° for uphill and 49° for downhill paths, respectively, at the maximum forward speed (1.3 m/s) during dynamic analysis. Also, lateral overturning occurred while one wheel was exposed to obstacles with heights greater than 245 mm at the maximum operating speed. Conclusions The results of this study would be helpful for designing the layout of the transplanter and the field test of the prototype.