table of contents
The need for agritech in Japan
Japan's food self-sufficiency rate has been declining for a long time, and data as of April 2023 shows that Japan's food self-sufficiency rate is 4% on a calorie basis. If the self-sufficiency rate continues at the current level, there is a possibility that various problems will develop, including increased risks due to high import dependence, problems with food safety and stable supply, and impacts on agriculture and local communities. there is.
In order to improve the self-sufficiency rate, the government is reviewing agricultural policies and promoting agriculture using local resources, and promoting the introduction of agritech (the use of ICT technology in the agricultural field) is one such trend.
Here, we will introduce products related to agritech that are handled by the overseas product procurement and consultation service "Unipos".
Robots specialized for agricultural use
Amiga | Multi-purpose agricultural robot for AgriTech
A skid steer four-wheel drive micro tractor.
It is a battery-powered, all-electric, modular robot platform that can operate continuously for up to 1 hours on a single charge (runtime varies depending on application, payload, terrain, etc.). With a maximum speed of 8 km/h (9.1 ft/min) and a payload capacity of up to 500 kg, when combined with expansion modules, it can be used in all agricultural production systems such as land preparation, planting, crop care, pest management, harvest packing and shipping. can be adapted to.
| Main uses – Crop management and harvesting: Automate the management and harvesting of different types of crops – Soil cultivation and preparation: Efficiently cultivate and prepare soil to create a suitable environment for crop growth. – Sowing and planting: Automate the sowing and planting process to reduce labor – Irrigation management: Automate watering and irrigation system management to support efficient use of water resources – Pest and disease management: Automate pest and disease monitoring and control to maintain crop health – Data collection and analysis: Collect and analyze various farm data to support decision-making |
 |
 |
FarmBot | Open source automatic gardening robot
A 100% open source automatic gardening robot that can be freely expanded to suit your needs. Fewer parts make assembly easierFarmBot ExpressEquipped with cutting-edge technology,FarmBot Genesisin XNUMX minutes by bus from Yonago Station.
Equipped with an onboard camera and computer vision software, FarmBot can measure soil height across raised beds to help with seeding, measuring soil moisture, controlling weeds, and more. In addition, by placing vine crops and irregular-shaped crops at the edge of the raised bed, and using FarmBot and a dedicated app to maintain and adjust the growth direction of the crops being cultivated to face the outside of the raised bed, plants can be You can easily double or triple the area.
| Main uses – Automated farming: automation of plant sowing, watering, weeding, etc. – Education: Used for STEAM education at schools and educational institutions – Home gardening: automated farming support in personal gardens – Research use: Used for agricultural technology research and experiments – Sustainability: Promoting environmentally friendly agricultural systems |
|
|
TerraSentia Robot | Agricultural Field Data Collection System
Vehicles equipped with multiple cameras and LIDAR sensors (Level 2 autonomous driving; a level that automates some driving tasks) drive around farmland, measuring the stem width, leaf area index, and leaves of target crops and plants. A system that can collect and measure important plant characteristic data with high precision, such as stem diseases.
Captured field data is seamlessly transformed into quantitative and consistent information using machine learning-based analysis.
| Main uses – Field data collection: Drive automatically through farmland and collect data on crops and plants. – Highly accurate measurement of plant characteristic data: Measure data such as stem width, leaf area index, and disease status – Machine learning-based analysis: Analyze the acquired data and convert it into easy-to-use information |
Our company TKS DivisionTerraSentia is also listed on the website as an example of "Introduction, consulting, and support for agricultural field data collection systems."
|
|
Specialized tools for agricultural use
Leaf Sensor | Moisture Level Sap Flow Measurement Leaf Sensor
AgriHouse's leaf sensor device for monitoring plant leaf turgor pressure, relative water content, water deficit stress (stress symptoms), drought and environmental monitoring.
Leaf sensormeasures and monitors leaf moisture levels (turbidity) in real time to understand and control watering times. It can be used in aeroponics, hydroponics, drip irrigation systems, etc. These technologies were developed under the auspices of NASA.
|
Main uses |
|
|
Sap Flow Sensors SF-4M / SF-5M | Fruit Flower petiole Thin stem Sap flow measurement sensor
Sap Flow Sensors SF type is a sensor for measuring and monitoring the flow of sap in petioles, stems, and pedicels (less than 10 mm in diameter), which are the channels for water and nutrients in plants. This sensor does not infiltrate the inside of the stem or petiole, but is a cylinder type that wraps around the stem from the outside, so it does not damage the plant.
Inside the cylinder, there are small heaters and temperature sensors above and below the heater. By supplying electric power to a small heater, a part of the stem is heated about 2-3 degrees from the surroundings, and the output signal for obtaining the sap flow rate and transpiration rate is measured, which is useful for data analysis.
| Main uses – Measurement of sap flow in petioles and thin stems of fruits and flowers – Measuring from the outside rather than inside the petiole or stem – Data collection of sap flow rate and transpiration rate – Monitoring plant growth and physiological status – Applications in agriculture, ecology and environmental monitoring |
|
|
MultispeQ | Plant Science Precision Agriculture Parameter Measurement Tool
An analytical tool for plant science and precision agriculture that combines the functions of a handheld fluorometer, chlorophyll meter, and benchtop spectrometer into one device.
Lab-quality measurements can be performed in the field where the analyte is present, measuring photosynthetic phenotypes under real field conditions and biotic and abiotic (biotic and abiotic) measurements in plants and algae. Identify stress.
Also, by connecting to the PhotosynQ network from a dedicated app, you can save your MultispeQ measurements on an online platform, manage and analyze them, and share them with the global community.Libraries for advanced analysis in R and Python are also available.
| Main uses – Monitoring photosynthetic capacity and stress levels of crops – Evaluation of new varieties and new cultivation techniques – Climate change impact study – Evaluation of light stress experienced by plants – Tree health checkup in forestry – Vegetation survey for environmental conservation activities |
|
|
Pix4Dfields | Swiss image processing software manufactured by Pix4D
Among the Pix4D series of photogrammetry software that creates various data from aerial images taken by UAVs and drones, this software is specialized for use in the smart agriculture field.
It is possible to quickly create and analyze high-precision vegetation index maps (NDVI, NDRE, VARI, TGI, SIPI2, LCI, BNDVI, GNDVI), and allocate zoning, even at sites without an internet environment.
In addition to standard RGB cameras, Pix4Dfields supports images taken with Parrot Sequoia and MicaSense RedEdge multispectral cameras.
| Main functions – Ortho mosaic image – Vegetation index map – Comparison and analysis of multiple vegetation indices – Setting field boundaries – Zoning map – Creating a Numeric Surface Model (DSM) – Annotation function |
|
|
Products that are expected to be used in agricultural applications
Atlas Scientific, Inc. Various measuring instruments for environmental robotics
Various measuring instruments developed and sold by AtlasScientific in the United States for use in the environmental robotics field.
We mainly handle water quality-related measurements (pH / ORP / DO / Conductivity / Temperature), and we handle various sensors and circuits for building environments to measure various values.
The product lineup is finely categorized by measurement target, and it is possible to customize a wide range of products by combining them with carrier boards and accessories, focusing on microcircuits and probes for measurement.
Examples of products for the agricultural field include probes and sensors needed for soil pH management and monitoring of temperature and conductivity in hydroponic cultivation.
| Main uses – Water quality monitoring and underwater sensing – Measuring pH levels and acid-basicity – Oxygen concentration and dissolved oxygen monitoring – Measurement of electrical conductivity and salinity – Liquid level and flow monitoring |
|
|
Libelium IoT Development Platform | Sustainable Industrial Agriculture Environmental IoT Solutions
Libelium's secure, sustainable, and easy-to-use IoT development platform for industrial, agricultural, and smart city environments.
In addition to Libelium One, which is ideal for water management in industrial, agricultural, and smart city environments, there is also a more specialized product for the agricultural sector, Smart Agriculture, for monitoring plant growth, weather/atmosphere, and soil. Xtreme”.
| Main uses – Water management: water management in industrial, agricultural and smart city environments – Air monitoring: monitor air quality indicators and control pollution situations in cities and industries – Traffic/traffic volume survey: Detect devices that operate via wireless communication using IoT gateways |
|
|
xArm | Up to 7 degrees of freedom industrial robot arm
Industrial robot arm with up to 7 degrees of freedom. With an operating range of 700 mm and repeatability of 0.1 mm, the xArm is highly cost-effective and can be used not only in factories but also in robotics research, prototyping at manufacturers, and taking photos and videos. We look forward to seeing you in action.
In addition to the dedicated application UFACTORY Studio, which allows you to easily operate it without any coding required, xArm SDK compatible with Python, ROS, and C++ is also provided.
As an example of its use in the agricultural field, it is expected to be used as the arm part of crop harvesting robots. The following article introduces the use of xArm at the Tomato Robot Competition by the Eiji Hayashi Laboratory of the Faculty of Information Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology.
| Main uses – Machine tending (an automated process in manufacturing) – Bin picking (bulk picking) – Installation on mobile platform – Laboratory automation – Robot research |
|
|
Summary
In order to solve issues such as soil and climate, it is important to combine the knowledge of experienced people with agritech. For companies and young people to enter agriculture and improve productivity, it is important to use a different approach than intuition and experience, and the latest technologies such as robotics, big data, sensing technology, and AI can help. It is expected.
At Unipos, we procure the latest agritech-related products from around the world and support the success of our customers' businesses and research.
We will be happy to investigate products that are not listed on the Unipos website, so please feel free to contact us.
|
■ Click here for Unipos service introductions and inquiries Overseas product procurement and consulting service for R & D "Unipos" |
