Rei Kikuchi

National Agriculture and Food Research Organization

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Rei Kikuchi is a researcher focused on agricultural robotics and precision farming technologies, with a particular emphasis on developing automated solutions for challenging environments. Their work addresses critical safety and efficiency issues in urban and steep-terrain agriculture. Kikuchi's most notable contribution is the development of a novel guided small mowing robot specifically designed for steep slopes, a hazardous area where manual mowing poses significant risks to workers. This research, published in 2020, introduces a robot that uses a winding reel for position adjustment and a guide motor for movement, replacing manual towing. By comparing the robot's net work rate—calculated by dividing effective work area by operation time—against commercial slope mowers, Kikuchi demonstrated the robot's superior performance and potential to reduce human labor and danger. Additionally, their 2019 work on new technologies for precise urban farm management has garnered attention, laying groundwork for smart city agriculture. With a total of three citations across these key papers, Kikuchi's research is pioneering in its niche, offering practical, life-saving innovations that bridge robotics and sustainable farming. Their work is particularly relevant for students and researchers interested in agricultural automation, safety engineering, and the application of robotics in non-traditional farming landscapes.