Digital Agritechnology: Robotics and Systems for Agriculture and Livestock Production

Front Cover
Digital Agritechnology
Digital Agritechnology: Robotics and Systems for Agriculture and Livestock Production
Copyright
Dedication
Contents
List of contributors
About the editor
Foreword
Preface
1 - An introduction to digital agritechnology
Background
First agricultural revolution (1700 onwards)
Second agricultural revolution (1914–1980s)
Third agricultural revolution (1920s–present)
Fourth agricultural revolution (1970s onwards)
Basic technologies for digital agritechnology
Microchips
Electronic identification (EID or RFID)
Silicon sensors
Global positioning systems
Meteorological information
Digital imaging
Communications systems
Internet protocols
Databases
How this book is organised
References
2 - From data to information
Introduction
The future
Why data?
Data in context
DIKW model
Applications
Data representation
Data encoding
Number bases
Character encoding
Data types
Primitive or simple data types
Integer types
Real numbers
Floating point numbers
Floating point numbers
Issues surrounding numbers
Issues surrounding numbers
Overflows and underflows
Overflows and underflows
Divide by zero
Divide by zero
Not a number
Not a number
Real number comparison
Real number comparison
Unum
Unum
Character types
Boolean
Complex or composite data types
String
Array
Array
Lists
Lists
Record
Record
Object
Object
Other data types
Other collections
Other collections
Pointer
Pointer
Sub-ranges
Sub-ranges
Enumerations
Enumerations
Sets
Sets
Null
Null
Dates and times
Dates and times
Data validation and verification
Data operations
Data processing
Data storage
Devices
The internet of things
The cloud and data centres
Files-based systems
Databases
Enterprise service bus
Data compression
Data transmission
The internet
The world wide web
Services
Application programming interface
Data formats and messaging
Rendering
Transformations
Web scraping
Data visualisation
Data classification
Data management
Security
Attackers
Threat modelling
CIA triad
Regulation
Politics
Data trends
Challenges
References
3 - ISOBUS – standards and uses for data from farm machinery
Introduction
Short history of ISOBUS
ISO 11783 based on CAN bus
Components and network
ISOBUS system overview
Connectors
Implement bus breakaway connector (Fig. 3.3)
Diagnostic connector (Fig. 3.4)
In-cab connector (Fig. 3.5)
ISOBUS functionalities
Universal Terminal (UT)
Auxiliary Controls (AUX-O and AUX-N)
Task Controller (TC)
Tractor ECU (TECU)
Tractor Implement Management (TIM)
ISOBUS Shortcut button (ISB)
File Server (FS)
Compatibility between ISOBUS systems
Conformance Testing and Certification to guarantee compatibility
AEF recognised test laboratories
AEF ISOBUS Database
AEF Plugfest
Future developments on ISOBUS
High-Speed ISOBUS (HSI) including future network architecture
Wireless In-field communication (WIC)
Connectivity between platforms
4 - Field robotics for harvesting: A review of field robotics approaches for harvesting
Introduction
Field robotics for harvesting
Achieving impact: faster, cheaper and safer harvesting
Faster harvesting
Cheaper harvesting
Safer harvesting
Increased sustainability
The reality of harvesting
Challenges
Current state of the art
Mechanisms and manipulation
Blades
Waterknife
Suction
In-hand manipulation
Vision and learning
Harvest localisation and classification
Crop monitoring
Post-harvest and quality control
Field tests and measuring success
Translation from research to commercialisation
Case studies
Vegebot: iceberg lettuce harvesting
System architecture
Vision and learning
End effector design
Field tests
Experimental results
The future
Future technologies
Data-driven approaches and machine learning
Soft robotics and tactile sensing
Genetic engineering and bio-hybrid systems
New approaches to harvesting
Single plant tending and harvesting
24h harvesting
Human-in-the loop
Transparency
Structuring the environment
References
5 - Capturing agricultural data using AgriRover for smart farming
Introduction
SmartFarm: a holistic philosophy for UK–China Agritech collaboration philosophy
Benefits of adopting the SmartFarm philosophy
Design methodology for a mobile data collection platform
AgriRover design
Mechatronic approach with a focus on energy consumption of the systems
Overview of navigation algorithms and autonomous field vehicle platforms
Overview of navigation systems
A review of navigation algorithm
Energy-focused mechatronic modelling
UK–China SmartFarm data flow diagram
Path planning
Power data capture in field studies
Conclusions and future work
References
6 - Health and welfare monitoring of dairy cows
Introduction
Why automated health management?
Issues in automated animal monitoring
Classification of disease
Sub-clinical diagnoses
Cow identity: the essential first component
Types of sensor systems
Wearables
Image capture
Thermal imaging
Biosensors
Monitoring cow health
Parturition (calving) monitoring
Technologies for monitoring calving
Mastitis
Conductivity
Somatic cell counting
Acute phase proteins
Metabolic disorders
Rumen telemetry
In-line milk sensing of nutritional parameters
Weight, body condition and body morphology
Mobility and lameness
Walkover weigh cells
Individual foot load analysis
Kinetics – tri-axial accelerometers
Kinematics – imaging systems
Time of passage measurement
Integrated monitoring
Animal welfare
Conclusions
References
Further reading
7 - Fertility monitoring of cattle
Introduction
Importance of fertility monitoring
Culling
Longevity
Climate change and dairy cow fertility
Biology of dairy reproduction
The oestrous cycle
Post-insemination: pregnancy detection methods
Systems of dairy cow fertility management
Natural service
Conventional AI
Synchronisation with hormones
Contracted systems (arm systems)
Digital systems for fertility management
Mount detectors
Early Oestrus Technology
Pedometers
Olfactory sensing
Milk temperature
Milk yield
Skin temperature
Combined measurements
Measuring hormones in milk
Progesterone assay
Biochemistry of hormone analysis
Well cow
Herd navigator
Milkalyser
RePro
Combining activity and progesterone analysis
Discussion: towards a system to improve fertility management
Appendix 1 dictionary of terms in fertility of dairy cows
Appendix 2 Definitions of Accuracy
References
Further reading
8 - Resilient food infrastructure and location-based categorisation of urban farms
Introduction
Urban agriculture and categorisation of structures
Growing over the ground
Green roofs or rooftop gardens
Community gardens
Brownfields, derelict lands and vacant buildings
Vertical growing and green walls
Indoor vertical growing
Indoor vertical growing
Integrated Rooftop greenhouse (iRTG)
Integrated Rooftop greenhouse (iRTG)
Outdoor vertical growing I
Outdoor vertical growing I
Growing Underground
Walipini and Sunken green houses
Underground spaces under cities and urban environments
Bomb shelters under ground
Bomb shelters under ground
Metro farms in subway tunnels
Metro farms in subway tunnels
Underground basements of commercial buildings
Underground basements of commercial buildings
Underground car parks
Underground car parks
Underground spaces far from cities under deserts and mountains
Bunkers under deserts
Bunkers under deserts
Coal mines and tunnels through mountains
Coal mines and tunnels through mountains
Discussion and conclusion
References
9 - Critical review of smart agri-technology solutions for urban food growing
Introduction
COVID-19 and food security issues in cities
Macro scale: smart food growing technologies
Big data, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, smart sensors and citizen science
Sensors, IoT, irrigation and remote water control
Planting and survey technologies: drones and remote sensing
Drones definition, technologies and applications
Drone-imaging, GPS and crop mapping software
Nature conservation, environmental reporting and monitoring
Environmental impacts
Micro scale: food growing technologies for homes
Growing devices
Composting devices
Smart food storage devices
Discussion and conclusion
References
10 - Agriculture 4.0: data platforms in food supply
Introduction
The evolution of agriculture 4.0
Data—who owns and sells it
Creating data transparency—blockchain methods
Examples of blockchain in farming
Agriculture 4.0 market models
Model 1: closed business system
Model 2: participatory markets
The impact of government policies on supply chains
European union veterinary data market
Exemplar: the livestock production chain
Virtual vet system for recording treatments
Agriculture 4.0 technologies in the value chain
Agri tech vendors, nodes in the embryonic participatory model
How to improve supply chain provenance
An embryonic blockchain platform—veterinary medicine surveillance
Discussion and conclusions
References
Further reading
11 - Risk assessment of introducing Digital-Agritech
Introduction
Aims of digital agri-technology
Failures in risk management in genetic agri-technology
Design risks
Risks in machine learning or artificial intelligence
Software incompatibility
Limited interface specifications for new developers
Digital control in animal management
Environmental control
Animal welfare monitoring
Generics
Data security risks
Product liability
Legislative risk
Position navigation timing failure
Labour availability risk
Skilled labour shortage
Rural internet bandwidth and speed
Alienation and the death of farming culture
Discussion and conclusions
References
Index
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
Z
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