AI-Based Vision-Guided Robot for Indian Agriculture

Given India’s recent population growth, agricultural output should increase in correlation with population growth. This vital goal must be met despite the fact that the required resources are diminishing in both quality and quantity. This predicament is exacerbated by global climate change and higher pollutant levels. To address these concerns, agriculture must become more productive and environmentally friendly by successfully implementing a number of innovative technologies. Recent improvements in information and communication technology and artificial intelligence enable wider use of robotic and allied technologies in agriculture to provide real-time processing and analysis, hence increasing throughput. The use of robots in agriculture can also tackle the lack of labor for the harsh part of the job. Because large versions of advanced agricultural machines are highly expensive and hence out of reach for many farmers with limited financial resources, smaller autonomous machines can be leased to complete agricultural duties, most likely in a cooperative fashion. The majority of agricultural robots created are focused on weeding, harvesting, and crop monitoring, which are the most demanding tasks in the agricultural arena. Humans are prone to errors most of the time due to boredom and the repetitive nature of the task. Incorporating robots in these tasks can lower the error in these operations. According to research, most of the robots produced in the last year for agricultural advancements are of the isolation type, which means their activities are constrained within an isolated cell (often utilizing barriers), and direct physical human–robot interface (HRI) is never permitted. Collaboration is the most desired mode in HRI since both components of the system can execute the same task in a synergetic manner by taking advantage of special vision systems and sensors. A robotic manipulator can be used to help a farmer pluck a bloom from a tree whose branches are covered in thorns. Uses of artificial intelligence-based image processing techniques can further help the farmer in locating the matured fruit that can be harvested from a tree. Furthermore, it can be used to detect weeds in agricultural fields and advise farmers about the amount of weedicide required with minimal environmental impact. Thus, using various robotics, sensors, and artificial intelligence approaches in agriculture can drastically reduce human labor while providing correct applications of harvesting and pesticides without negatively compromising the environment or human health.