Development Of A Weed Suppression Robot For Rice Cultivation: Weed Suppression And Posture Control

摘要

Weed suppression and weeding are necessary measures<br> for rice cultivation. Weed suppression precedes the process of<br> weeding. It means suppressing the growth of young weeds and<br> creating a weed-less environment. If we suppress the growth of weeds,<br> we can reduce the number of weeds in a paddy field. This would result<br> in a reduction of the weeding work load.<br> In this paper, we will show how we developed a weed suppression<br> robot for the purpose of reducing the weeding work load. The robot<br> has a laser range finder for autonomous mobility and a robot arm for<br> weed suppression. It travels along the rice rows without stepping on<br> and injuring the rice plants in a paddy field. The robot arm applies<br> force to the weed seedlings and thereby suppresses the growth of<br> weeds. This paper will explain the methodology of the autonomous<br> mobile, the experiment in weed suppression, and the method of<br> controlling the robot’s posture on uneven ground.