Towards Robotic Mapping of a Honeybee Comb

Abstract

Honeybees are irreplaceable pollinators with a direct impact on the global food supply. Researchers focus on understanding the dynamics of colonies to support their health and growth. In our project “RoboRoyale”, we aim to strengthen the colony through miniature robots interacting with the honeybee queen. To assess the colony's health and the effect of the interactions, it is crucial to monitor the whole honeybee comb and its development. In this work, we introduce key components of a system capable of autonomously evaluating the state of the comb without any disturbance to the living colony. We evaluate several methods for visual mapping of the comb by a moving camera and several algorithms for detecting visible cells between occluding bees. By combining image stitching techniques with open cell detection and their localization, we show that it is possible to capture how the comb evolves over time. Our results lay the foundations for realtime monitoring of a honeybee comb, which could prove essential in honeybee and environmental research.