Autonomous Robots: Answering Three Basic Questions

By Future Farming

Autonomous robots are one of, if not the hottest trends in precision agriculture at this moment, according to Future Farming. These robots are equipped with a wide range of technologies and sensors. Because farming is about achieving the best results with minimal effort, I advise farmers to consider the capabilities and the level of autonomy the robots have before purchasing one. This is more important than focusing on fancy lights, colors, and options that don’t add any value to their basic operations.

For a robot to be truly autonomous, it must find solutions to three basic questions:

Where is it located at this moment?
Where is it going?
How does it get there?

In addition to these questions, the robot must also consider how to use the attached implement and how to control it properly, but this is a topic for another article.

To answer the three basic questions mentioned above, the robots have to receive or execute the following inputs and outputs:

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To have a model of the environment: In agriculture, the environment in which robots navigate is relatively simple with not many variables, but it changes rapidly throughout the year (crops grow, soil is prepared, irrigation equipment in different positions, etc.). In this case, the environment model will be given to the robots, or at least most of it (for example, loading shape files with boundaries, obstacles, and other points featured on it). However, the robot will still have to (at least partially) perceive and analyze the environment through its sensors and algorithms.
Find its position and situation within the environment, which is achieved again through data collected by sensors and with the help of algorithms.
Plan and execute the given task by using the motion devices with which it is equipped, in a safe and proper way.