A Robotic Non-destructive Crop Root Imaging System
A low-cost, non-destructive robotic arm and camera system provides efficient, 3D root analysis for recognizing plant conditions and growth patterns in agriculture and breeding.
Researchers at Purdue University have created a low cost robotic arm with a camera extension that images entire areas around soil. The system identifies roots, saves them computationally by location, and reconstructs size, shape, and depth in 3D. This method is non-destructive and quickly assists in recognizing plant conditions as well as growth patterns. The technique is applicable to breeding, research, farming, and horticulture.
Advantages:
-Low cost
-Non-destructive
-Efficient
Potential Applications:
-Plant breeding
-Agronomical research
-Agricultural and Biological Engineering
TRL: 3
Intellectual Property:
Provisional-Patent, 2019-07-07, United States | Utility Patent, 2020-07-07, United States
Keywords: robotic arm, camera extension, soil imaging, root identification, 3D reconstruction, non-destructive, plant conditions, growth patterns, plant breeding, agronomical research, 3D Imaging, Agriculture, Agrobiosciences, Cameras, computers, Crop Improvements, Crop Management, Farm Equipment, Farming, High Throughput Phenotyping, Horticulture, Imaging, Plant Disease, Plants, Robotics, Smart Cameras, Soils