WO2023180566A1

WO2023180566A1 - Weeding arrangement and method of using the weeding arrangement

Info

Publication number: WO2023180566A1
Application number: PCT/EP2023/057731
Authority: WO
Inventors: Martijn Roland LUKAART
Original assignee: Odd.Bot B.V.
Priority date: 2022-03-24
Filing date: 2023-03-24
Publication date: 2023-09-28
Also published as: NL2031403B1

Abstract

A method of damaging or destroying a weed by a weeding arrangement is provided, the method comprising steps of moving the weeding arrangement along a moving direction, damaging or destroying the weed using a first weeding tool comprised by the weeding arrangement, which first weeding tool is arranged to damage or destroy weed in a first weeding area, damaging or destroying the weed using a second weeding tool comprised by the weeding arrangement, which first weeding tool is arranged to damage or destroy weed in a second weeding area, wherein the second weeding area is positioned along the moving direction relative to first weeding area.

Description

Title: Weeding arrangement and method of using the weeding arrangement

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to the field of weeding arrangements, in particular to weeding robots.

BACKGROUND

Heavy tractors are commonly used to dispense herbicide on all the plants within a cultivated field, as this is a fast method to kill weeds. The entire surface of the cultivated field is thus sprayed, without distinction about whether there are weeds to destroy or not.

WO20 17002093 discloses a method using a robot for an automatic treatment of a weed. The method comprises steps of capturing images of said weed with a camera on said robot, determining with said images a distance between the weed and a second vegetable organism; and selecting a treatment tool of said robot for a treatment of the weed from a group of treatment tools as function of said distance. WO2017002093 further concerns a robotic vehicle for carrying out the method for an automatic treatment of a weed. The known robotic vehicle uses a combination of mechanical tools and spraying tools for destroying unwanted weeds.

A known alternative to mechanical tools for weeding is using contactless weeding tools, such as radiation sources. The radiation sources are provided perpendicular the direction the robot moves to allow for a wide area to be radiated. Such a design is energy intensive, limiting the operational range of the weeding robot as it needs to be recharged often.

SUMMARY

It is preferred to damage or destroy weed with lowered energy consumption. Additionally or alternatively, it is preferred to provide for a weeding arrangement, such as a weeding robot, which can cover more land surface per time unit. It is also preferred to provide a weeding arrangement that is arranged to destroy or damage weed while preventing damage to crops.

A first aspect provides a method of damaging or destroying a weed by an array of weeding tools. The method comprises steps of: damaging or destroying the weed using a first weeding tool comprised by the array of weeding tools, which first weeding tool is arranged to damage or destroy weed in a first weeding area; damaging or destroying the weed using a second weeding tool comprised by the array of weeding tools, which first weeding tool is arranged to damage or destroy weed in a second weeding area; wherein the second weeding area is positioned along the moving direction relative to first weeding area.

When the second weeding area is positioned along the moving direction relative to first weeding area, a single weed can be damaged or destroyed by multiple weeding tools. When a single weed is damaged or destroyed by multiple weeding tools, less time may be required for each individual weeding tool to be active. As such, energy consumption may be reduced, and/or more land can be covered by the weeding arrangement in less time.

A weeding area associated with a weeding tool is generally defined as the area in which the weeding tool can damage or destroy a weed. The weeding area may be a particular section of land, and when the weeding robot and/or weeding tool moves, the weeding area may move with the weeding robot and/or weeding tool.

In general, any of the weeding tools may be a contactless weeding tool, or a mechanical weeding tool arranged to contact the weed. Examples of contactless weeding tools use flames, heat, electricity, electromagnetic radiation, steam, superheated steam, hot water, heated foam, or any other means of damaging or destroying weed without directly contacting the weed, or any combination thereof. Examples of mechanical weeding tools may punch, cut, bruise, pull, or otherwise mechanically damage a weed, in any combination thereof. Preferably, no chemical herbicide is used for damaging or destroying weed, for example for environmental and/or health reasons.

When a weeding tool comprises a radiation source, the weeding tool may emit electromagnetic radiation for damaging or destroying weed. Examples of electromagnetic radiation which may be used are microwaves, infrared light, visible light, ultraviolet light, X-rays, and gamma rays. For example, the electromagnetic radiation may comprise radiation with a spectrum between 400-1000 nm, between 600-800 nm, in particular radiation with a wavelength of 700 nm. More in general, electromagnetic radiation may be used with wavelengths intended to damage weed on the outside, for example causing burn marks. Additionally or alternatively, electromagnetic radiation may be used with wavelengths intended to cause internal damage in the weed, for example because radiation with these wavelengths are easily absorbed by the weed, for example by leaves of the weed. For example, generally blue light in the range between 400-500 nm may be easily absorbed by the weed, and may damage the weed, even up to the point of destroying the weed.

For example because the array of weeding tools may be moving or moved along the moving direction when damaging or destroying the weed, the weed may be damaged or destroyed by the second weeding tool at least after it is damaged or destroyed by the first weeding tool. In embodiments, the weed may be damaged or destroyed by the first weeding tool and second weeding tool together, for example when the first and second weeding area at least partially overlap, and the weed is positioned inside the overlap of the first and second weeding area.

As an option, the method may further comprise a step of detecting a position of the weed relative to the array of weeding tools, and wherein the use of the first weeding tool and the second weeding tool is based on the position of the weed relative to the array of weeding tools. For example, detecting a position of the weed relative to the weeding robot may comprise determining whether the weed is present in one or more weeding areas associated with one or more weeding tools.

In an embodiment, the method can further comprise the step of: using at least one of the first weeding tool and the second weeding tool for damaging or destroying the weed while moving the weeding arrangement along the moving direction.

In an embodiment, the weed can be first in the first weeding area and afterwards in the second weeding area, by virtue of a movement of the array of weeding tools relative to the weed. It will be understood that in general, the weed is essentially stationary.

In an embodiment, the moving direction can be parallel to a direction of tracks between crops, in particular to a direction of sowing. These tracks may be used for moving an agricultural device, such as a tractor or weeding robot, across the field without damaging crops which are sowed inbetween the tracks.

A second aspect provides a weeding arrangement, such as a weeding robot, for damaging or destroying weeds, comprising a frame, a propulsion module for moving the frame, for example across a field, in a moving direction. The weeding arrangement further comprises an array of weeding tools attached to the robot frame, comprising a first weeding tool arranged for damaging or destroying weed in a first weeding area and a second weeding arranged for damaging or destroying weed in a second weeding area. The first weeding area is provided relative to the second weeding area along the moving direction, for example when the first weeding tool is positioned relative to the second weeding tool along the moving direction of the weeding arrangement.

The frame may for example be embodied as a wireframe or may be a substantially solid frame. The frame may comprise, for example but not limited to, metals, polymers or a combination thereof. A weeding tool may be rigidly connected to the frame. Alternatively, one or more actuators may be used to position at least one of the weeding tools relative to the frame, using for example a stage with multiple degrees of freedom, such as a delta-arm, any other translational I rotational system or combination thereof. The frame may be a robot frame, for example when the weeding arrangement is a weeding robot.

The weeding robot may for example be a substantially autonomous unit capable of moving across a surface, such as a field or a garden, using wheels, tracks other means or a combination thereof. The weeding robot may be capable of detecting and scanning its surroundings and finding weeds or other unwanted flora to remove. To this end, the weeding robot may be equipped with different types of scanners, for example optical scanners such as one or more cameras, but also supporting equipment such as sources of light. An optical scanner may be arranged to operate using visible light and/or light in any other spectrum such as infrared or near infrared, for example approximately between 700 nm and 1800 nm or approximately between 860 nm and 1600 nm. The weeding robot may be powered by, for example but not limited to, batteries or conventional fuels.

Substantially autonomous implies that after being programmed to perform a particular task, no further human intervention or control is required during the performance of the task. For example, this task may be to clear a particular area of particular kinds of weeds.

The propulsion module for moving the robot frame, for example across a field, can be arranged to move the robot frame through the air, through a body of water, over the ground or any combination thereof.

In general, the propulsion module may be comprised by a weeding robot as an example of a weeding arrangement, which weeding robot also comprises a robot frame as the frame. Alternatively, a propulsion module separate from the frame may be used. For example, the frame may be pulled or pushed or towed across a field using a separate vehicle, such as an agricultural vehicle, for example a tractor. The frame may be connected to the separate vehicle, for example using conventional connection means. When a separate vehicle is used, the frame may still be supported by wheels or tracks carrying the frame.

It will thus be understood that embodiment of the weeding arrangement are envisioned comprising an agricultural vehicle, wherein the frame is connected to the agricultural vehicle, which agricultural vehicle comprises the propulsion module for moving the frame in the moving direction. Any vehicle suitable for moving across a field may be considered to be an agricultural vehicle, such as a tractor, a car, a quad bike, an off-road vehicle, an all-terrain vehicle, or any other suitable vehicle for positioning the array of weeding tools such that a weed is positioned in a weeding area of at least one of the weeding tools of the array of weeding tools.

In an embodiment, the weeding arrangement can further comprise a vision module for obtaining weed data, wherein the weed data can comprise the location of the weed relative to the first weeding area and the second weeding area. Weed data may for example be a video stream or one or more photos in which weed is visible. From one or more photos or video frames, a type of weed as an example of weed data may be identified, for example by a controller with a processing unit. Furthermore, from one or more photos or video frames, weeds may be distinguished from crops which are not be removed and preferably not damaged. The fact that a particular plant is identified as being weeds may also be considered as being weed data.

A vision module may comprise one or more lights for sending a signal, such as an optical signal, electromagnetic signal, or soundwave signal, which signal may be reflected back by the plants such as weeds and crops to one or more sensors, for example optical sensors such as one or more cameras or LIDARs, RADAR, stereo cameras, any other optical sensor, ultrasonic sensors, electromagnetic sensors, or any combination thereof. An optical signal may comprise light of any wavelength or combination of wavelengths. In an embodiment, the controller can be arranged to individually control the weeding tools of the array of weeding tools. The controller may comprise an electronic processing unit, and may be arranged to receive data from the vision module and process this data into weed data.

In an embodiment, the controller can be arranged to individually control the weeding tools of the array of weeding tools. For example, the weed data may be indicative of a type of weed and/or a particular dimension of the weed such as a height and/or a thickness of a stem, and/or whether the weed is present in a particular weeding area.

The controller may comprise a navigation unit for controlling a propulsion module for moving the weeding arrangement to a particular location or along a particular path, for example based on (RTK) GPS data.

In an embodiment, the array of weeding tools can further comprise a third weeding tool arranged for damaging or destroying weed in a third weeding area, wherein the third weeding area is positioned along a direction perpendicular to the moving direction relative to the first weeding area.

In an embodiment, at least one of the weeding tools is a contactless weeding tool comprising a radiation source for emitting electromagnetic radiation onto a weeding area associated with said weeding tool. The radiation source may for example be a LED, a high powered LED arranged for use with a high current, such as 25 mA or more, 500 mA or more, or even 1.000 mA or more and/or which can emit more than 1.000 lumen, more than 5.000 lumen or even more than 10.000 lumen and/or which have a power of 0.25 Watt or more, 10 Watt or more, or even 100 Watt or more or a laser.

It will be appreciated that different options disclosed herein may be readily combined to form different embodiments of the weeding arrangement and method of damaging or destroying a weed by a weeding arrangement. Options disclosed in conjunction with one aspect may be readily applied to embodiments of another aspect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

In the figures,

Fig. 1A schematically depicts a weeding robot;

Fig. IB schematically weeding areas associated with different weeding tools; and

Figs. 2A and 2B schematically show, in a top view, a weeding area of a weeding robot at two consecutive instances in time.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Fig. 1A schematically depicts a weeding robot 100 as an example of a weeding arrangement, comprising a robot frame 102 and a set of wheels 104 as part of a propulsion module. The propulsion module may further comprise a motor, such as an electric motor or an internal combustion engine for rotating the set of wheels 104. The weeding robot 100 is an example of a weeding arrangement.

It will be understood that other embodiments of weeding arrangement are envisioned as well. For example, weeding arrangements are envisioned which can be pulled or pushed by another vehicle, and hence do not comprise a motor or engine as a part of the propulsion module. Such weeding arrangement may for example be carried by another vehicle, pushed in front of another vehicle, or pulled behind another vehicle, as is known for example from other agricultural equipment. A weeding arrangement may hence comprise another vehicle, such as a tractor, for moving the frame with the array of weeding tools.

Alternatively, the robot 100 may be a flying robot such as a drone, wherein the propulsion module is arranged for allowing the robot 100 to fly. The propulsion module may as such comprise one or more rotatable blades and/or propellers and one or more motors for rotating the blades and/or propellers. In the embodiment of Fig. 1A, the robot 100 is arranged to move along a moving direction M across a field 106 in which crop 108 is growing. Also growing on the field 106 is undesired weed 110, which is to be removed, damaged or destroyed to prevent the weed 110 from growing further. Preferably, no herbicides are used for destroying the weed 110. Destroying or damaging weeds may generally imply that the weed is manipulated such that it cannot grow any further.

The robot 100 comprises a plurality of weeding tools 112 in a n array of weeding tools, such as a first weeding tool 112’, a second weeding tool 112”, and a third weeding tool 112’”. It will be understood that robots are envisioned comprising any number of weeding tools, such as two, three, four, or even more, such as eight or more or even 16 or more. When the robot comprises multiple radiation sources, each radiation source may be regarded as a separate weeding tool.

The robot 100 as an option further comprises a camera 116 as a vision module or as part of a vision module for obtaining weed data. A field of view of the camera 116 may be directed to the field 106 such that the camera 116 may be used for obtaining weed data. Weed data may for example be a position of a weed 110, which may be a set of absolute coordinates, or a position relative to another part of the robot 100, such as any of the weeding tools 112. A position of the weed 110 may indicate in which weeding area or weeding areas the weed 110 is positioned, which in turn may indicate which weeding tool or weeding tools can be used at that particular moment in time to damage or destroy the weed 110.

As a further option, the robot 100 comprises a controller 118 for operating one or more of the weeding tools 112. The controller 118 may be arranged for receiving a vision signal and/or weed data from the camera 116. Based on the received vision signal and/or weed data, the controller 118 may control at least one of the weeding tools 112. As can be seen in Fig. 1A, in this particular embodiment, a first weeding tool 112’ is positioned in front of a second weeding tool 112”. The second weeding tool 112” is positioned in front of a third weeding tool 112”’. Being positioned in front is regarded along the moving direction M of the weeding robot 100. Alternatively or additionally, weeding tools may also be positioned relative to each other in a direction generally perpendicular to the moving direction.

Fig. IB again schematically shows the field 106, with only the weeding tools 112 comprised by the weeding robot 100, for clarity of the figure. In Fig. IB, a weeding area A of the weeding robot 100 is indicated. This weeding area A comprises the weeding areas associated with the weeding tools 112.

In particular, a first weeding area A’ is associated with the first weeding tool 112’, a second weeding area A” is associated with the second weeding tool 112”, and a third weeding area A’” is associated with the third weeding tool 112’”. As can be seen, adjacent weeding areas may overlap. Alternatively, there may be no overlap between adjacent weeding areas.

Figs. 2A and 2B schematically show, in a top view, a section of a field 106 with a crop 108 and a weed 110. In this particular example, a weeding robot 100 moves across the field 106 along the moving direction M. For clarity of the figures, only a total weeding area A of the weeding robot is indicated, which total weeding area A is formed by a plurality of weeding areas associated with a plurality of weeding tools forming an array of weeding tools. For example, a first weeding area A’, second weeding area A”, third weeding area A’”, and fourth weeding area A”” are indicated, which are respectively associated with a first weeding tool, a second weeding tool, a third weeding tool, and a fourth weeding tool.

As can be seen in Figs. 2A and 2B, the weeding robot may comprise an array of weeding tools, which in this particular example is a 5x3 array. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, any other size of array may be used, for example a P x Q array, with P > 1, and Q > 2. An array may also be referred to as a matrix. A fourth weeding area A”” associated with the fourth weeding tool is positioned along a direction perpendicular to the moving direction M relative to the first weeding area A’.

Between the situations depicted in Figs. 2A and 2B, the weeding robot 100 has moved along the moving direction M. With this movement, the total weeding area A has also moved along the moving direction M. In the situation of Fig. 2 A, a first crop 108’ is present in the second weeding area A”, and a weed 110 is present in the first weeding area A’. The controller of the weeding area may now activate the first weeding tool associated with the first weeding area A’, in order to damage or destroy the weed 110, preferably without damaging or destroying the crop 108.

As the weeding arrangement, in particular the array of weeding tools, now moves along the moving direction M, as depicted in Fig. 2B, the first crop 108’ is now positioned in the third weeding area A’”, the weed 110 is now positioned in the second weeding area A”, and a second crop 108” is positioned in the first weeding area A’. In this situation, for example by the controller of the weeding robot, the first weeding tool associated with the first weeding area A’ is deactivated to prevent damaging or destroying the second crop 108”. A second weeding tool associated with the second weeding area A” is activated to damage or destroy the weed 110 which has already been previously damaged or destroyed by the first weeding tool, in the situation of Fig. 1A.

Throughout the figures, it will be understood that any weeding tool may be according to any of the weeding tools disclosed herein, in particular any contactless or mechanical weeding tool.

In the description above, it will be understood that when an element such as layer, region or substrate is referred to as being “on” or “onto” another element, the element is either directly on the other element, or intervening elements may also be present. Also, it will be understood that the values given in the description above, are given by way of example and that other values may be possible and/or may be strived for.

Furthermore, the invention may also be embodied with less components than provided in the embodiments described here, wherein one component carries out multiple functions. Just as well may the invention be embodied using more elements than depicted in the Figures, wherein functions carried out by one component in the embodiment provided are distributed over multiple components.

It is to be noted that the figures are only schematic representations of embodiments of the invention that are given by way of non-limiting examples. For the purpose of clarity and a concise description, features are described herein as part of the same or separate embodiments, however, it will be appreciated that the scope of the invention may include embodiments having combinations of all or some of the features described.

The word ‘comprising’ does not exclude the presence of other features or steps than those listed in a claim. Furthermore, the words 'a' and 'an' shall not be construed as limited to 'only one', but instead are used to mean 'at least one', and do not exclude a plurality.

A person skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various parameters and values thereof disclosed in the description may be modified and that various embodiments dis-closed and/or claimed may be combined without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Method of damaging or destroying a weed (110) by an array of weeding tools, the method comprising steps of: moving the array of weeding tools along a moving direction (M); damaging or destroying the weed using a first weeding tool (112’) comprised by the array of weeding tools, which first weeding tool is arranged to damage or destroy weed in a first weeding area (A’); damaging or destroying the weed using a second weeding tool (112”) comprised by the array of weeding tools, which first weeding tool is arranged to damage or destroy weed in a second weeding area (A”); wherein the second weeding area is positioned along the moving direction relative to first weeding area.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein damaging or destroying the weed with at least one of the first weeding tool and the second weeding tool comprises irradiating the weed with electromagnetic radiation.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the weed is damaged or destroyed by the second weeding tool at least after the weed is damaged or destroyed by the first weeding tool.

4. Method according to any of the claims 1 - 3, further comprising the step of:

- detecting a position of the weed relative to the array of weeding tools, and wherein a use of the first weeding tool and the second weeding tool is based on the position of the weed relative to the array of weeding tools.

5. Method according to claim 4, wherein detecting the position of the weed relative to the array of weeding tools comprises determining whether the weed is present in one or more weeding areas associated with one or more weeding tools.

6. Method according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising the step of:

- using at least one of the first weeding tool and the second weeding tool for damaging or destroying the weed while moving the array of weeding tools along the moving direction.

7. Method according to claim 6, wherein the weed is first positioned in the first weeding area and afterwards in the second weeding area by virtue of the moving of the array of weeding tools along the moving direction.

8. Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the moving direction is generally parallel to a direction of tracks between crops, in particular to a direction of sowing.

9. Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the array of weeding tools is comprised by a weeding arrangement, and the weeding arrangement is moved along the moving direction using a propulsion module comprised by the weeding arrangement.

10. Weeding arrangement (100) for damaging or destroying weed, comprising: a frame (102); a propulsion module (104) for moving the frame in a moving direction (M), for example across a field; and an array of weeding tools (112) attached to the frame, the array of weeding tools comprising: - a first weeding tool (112’) arranged for damaging or destroying weed in a first weeding area (A’);

- a second weeding tool (112”) arranged for damaging or destroying weed in a second weeding area (A”); wherein the second weeding area is positioned along the moving direction relative to the first weeding area.

11. Weeding arrangement according to claim 10, further comprising a vision module (116) for obtaining weed data, wherein the weed data comprises a location of the weed, in particular relative to the weeding arrangement.

12. Weeding arrangement according to claim 11, further comprising a controller (118) for controlling the array of weeding tools based on the obtained weed data.

13. Weeding arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the controller is arranged to individually control the weeding tools of the array of weeding tools.

14. Weeding arrangement according to any of the claims 10-13, wherein the array of weeding tools further comprises a third weeding tool arranged for damaging or destroying weed in a third weeding area (A””), wherein at least a part of the third weeding area is positioned along a direction perpendicular to the moving direction relative to the first weeding area.

15. Weeding arrangement according to any of the claims 10-14, wherein at least one of the weeding tools is a contactless weeding tool.

16. Weeding arrangement according to claim 15, wherein at least one of the weeding tools comprises a radiation source for emitting electromagnetic radiation onto a weeding area associated with said weeding tool.

17. Weeding arrangement according to any of the claims 10-16, wherein the array of weeding tools is an array of radiation sources, such as an array of high power LEDs of lasers.

18. Weeding arrangement according to any of the claims 10-17, wherein the first weeding area and the second area partially overlap.

19. Weeding arrangement according to any of the claims 10-17, wherein the first weeding area and the second area do not overlap.

20. Weeding arrangement according to any of the claims 10-19, wherein the weeding arrangement is a weeding robot, which weeding robot comprises the frame and the propulsion module.

21. Weeding arrangement according to any of the claims 10-19, comprising an agricultural vehicle, wherein the frame is connected to the agricultural vehicle, which agricultural vehicle comprises the propulsion module (104) for moving the frame in the moving direction.