SnowshadowII on Nostr: Touchy-feely robots can identify plants with 97% accuracy "Chinese researchers ...
Touchy-feely robots can identify plants with 97% accuracy
"Chinese researchers develop a robot that can identify plant species and growth stages by touch, with implications for agriculture."
"The robot utilises a tactile sensing approach inspired by human skin, where layers work in coordination to gain information through touch. This tactile system, when combined with machine learning, enables the robot to distinguish between plant species and growth stages. When the electrode makes contact with a leaf, it gathers key data such as capacitance (the amount of charge a leaf can store at a certain voltage), electrical resistance (how easily electric current flows through the leaf), and the force exerted as the robot grips the leaf.
"This unique mechanism addresses a significant limitation in current plant-monitoring technologies, which typically rely on visual methods. According to Zhongqian Song, associate professor at Shandong First Medical University and one of the study’s authors, visual identification tools are vulnerable to external influences such as lighting, weather conditions, and background interference. The new touch-based approach overcomes these constraints, offering a more reliable solution for accurate plant identification.
“It could revolutionise crop management and ecosystem studies and enable early disease detection, which is crucial for plant health and food security,” says Song."
#News #Science #Tech #Farming #Agriculture #Plants #Gardening #Robots #AI
https://labhorizons.co.uk/2024/11/touchy-feely-robots-can-identify-plants-with-97-accuracy/
"Chinese researchers develop a robot that can identify plant species and growth stages by touch, with implications for agriculture."
"The robot utilises a tactile sensing approach inspired by human skin, where layers work in coordination to gain information through touch. This tactile system, when combined with machine learning, enables the robot to distinguish between plant species and growth stages. When the electrode makes contact with a leaf, it gathers key data such as capacitance (the amount of charge a leaf can store at a certain voltage), electrical resistance (how easily electric current flows through the leaf), and the force exerted as the robot grips the leaf.
"This unique mechanism addresses a significant limitation in current plant-monitoring technologies, which typically rely on visual methods. According to Zhongqian Song, associate professor at Shandong First Medical University and one of the study’s authors, visual identification tools are vulnerable to external influences such as lighting, weather conditions, and background interference. The new touch-based approach overcomes these constraints, offering a more reliable solution for accurate plant identification.
“It could revolutionise crop management and ecosystem studies and enable early disease detection, which is crucial for plant health and food security,” says Song."
#News #Science #Tech #Farming #Agriculture #Plants #Gardening #Robots #AI
https://labhorizons.co.uk/2024/11/touchy-feely-robots-can-identify-plants-with-97-accuracy/