Development of Automatic Chemical Sprayer

作者：Ismail Wan Ishak Wan^*; Rahman Khairuddin Abdul

来源：AMA-Agricultural Mechanization in Asia Africa and Latin America, 2010, 41(2): 30-34.

The advent of the computer and camera vision has given a valuable research tool for the development of automation systems to increase mechanization technology in the agriculture sector. Application of the computer for the real-time weedicide sprayer has been one of the outstanding developments in Malaysian agriculture especially in overcoming labor shortages in oil palm plantations. A commercial sprayer was modified with a guided automation system with the web camera to detect the presence of weeds. The sprayer was installed with a web camera, portable computer, ICPCON I-7042 and SST-2400 radio modem. Module ICPCON I-7042 and a radio modem SST-2400 were selected as the data acquisition and control. The radio modem, that was set as receiver, received the signals and transferred them to the ICP module I-7042 via RS-485 bus. The ICPCON I-7042 and SST-2400 were later replaced with a locally made 'parallel port controller board'. The purpose of this study was to develop an automated sprayer that used camera vision for the application of chemicals on an autonomous all terrain vehicle (ATV). The objective for this project was to detect the presence of weeds in real-time and spray the chemicals precisely to eradicate the weeds. The real-time weedicide sprayer was designed to reduce wastage, labor and cost and to control environmental hazards.

• 出版日期2010