Automation of commercial wild blueberry harvester to improve harvestable berry yield and minimize operator stress

商业野生蓝莓收割机的自动化可提高可收浆果产量并最大限度地减少操作员压力

• 批准号: 490632-2015
• 负责人: Zaman, Qamar
• 金额: $ 10.7万
• 依托单位: Dalhousie University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Collaborative Research and Development Grants
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2017-01-01 至 2018-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=618124
• 关键词: Automation; commercial; wild; blueberry; harvester

The wild blueberry industry is facing increased harvesting losses (15 to 25%), caused by substantial variation in crop parameters (plant height, plant density, fruit zone), field conditions (rocks, slope, bare spots, weeds) and fruit yield. Currently, the harvester operator has to frequently adjust machine settings (head height, ground speed, header rpm) manually, based on his/her judgment, according to the variation in crop/field conditions, and fruit yield to reduce fruit loss. The unique features of the wild blueberry cropping system as compared to other closed canopy crops emphasize the need for the development of automated systems to increase harvester and operator efficiency in order to improve berry yield and quality. The overall goal of the proposed research initiative is to develop a cost-effective sensing and control system to automate blueberry harvester to increase harvestable yield and decrease operator stress. Wild blueberry growers set a goal to increase harvestable yieldby 33% in the next five years. To achieve this milestone, the technology based products and processes envisioned include; (i) develop an innovative technology to sense plant height, ground/rock and fruit yields in real-time during harvesting; (ii) develop a computerized automated control system to facilitate on -the- go decision making regarding head height, ground speed and head rpm during harvesting; (iii) compare automated harvester with traditional harvester to improve berry picking efficiency; and (iv) replacement of non-automated harvester with innovative automated harvester. This proposal is part of a multi¬disciplinary research effort at Dalhousie University in collaboration with Doug Bragg Enterprises, Collingwood, Nova Scotia. This collaboration between industry and scientists was initiated to develop innovative and viable technologies that will enhance harvestable yield, assist with stabilization of yields over time, and increase farm profitability and ultimately lead to a more sustainable wild blueberry industry in Canada. Increased harvesting efficiency (say 5% only) with no additional expense would contribute $5.5 million to the NS economy and $31 million to Atlantic Provinces and Quebec every year.

野生蓝莓产业面临着增加的收获损失（15至25％），这是由于农作物参数（植物高度，植物密度，水果区），田间条件（岩石，坡度，裸露的斑点，杂草）和水果产量引起的。目前，根据作物/田间条件的差异，收割机操作员必须经常根据其法官手动调整机器设置（头高，地面速度，标头rpm），并根据作物/田间条件的差异以及果实的产量来减少果实损失。与其他封闭的顶篷作物相比，野生蓝莓种植系统的独特特征强调了自动化系统的开发需要提高收割机和操作员效率，以提高浆果的产量和质量。拟议的研究计划的总体目标是开发一种具有成本效益的灵敏度和控制系统，以使蓝莓收割机自动化以增加可收获的产量并减轻操作员的压力。野生蓝莓种植者设定了一个目标，可以在未来五年内提高可收获的收益率33％。为了实现这一里程碑，设想的基于技术的产品和流程包括： （i）开发一种创新的技术，以在收获过程中实时感知植物高度，地面/岩石和果实的产量； （ii）开发一个计算机化的自动化控制系统，以促进有关在收获过程中头部高度，地面速度和头部rpm的决策； （iii）将自动收割机与传统收割机进行比较，以提高浆果采摘效率； （iv）用创新的自动收割机代替非自动收割机。该建议是达尔豪西大学（Dalhousie University）的多学科研究工作的一部分，并与新斯科舍省科林伍德（Collingwood）的道格·布拉格（Doug Bragg）企业合作。启动了行业与科学家之间的这种合作，以开发创新且可行的技术，这些技术将提高有害的收益率，有助于随着时间的推移稳定收益率，并提高农场盈利能力，并最终导致加拿大更具可持续性的野生蓝莓行业。提高收获效率（仅为5％），而没有额外费用将为NS经济贡献550万美元，每年向大西洋省和魁北克省贡献3,100万美元。