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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Washington, D.C. » National Arboretum » Floral and Nursery Plants Research » Research » Research Project #447552

Research Project: Development of High-Throughput Phenotyping Robotic Platforms for Precision Epidemiology of Dollar Spot Disease in Turfgrass

Location: Floral and Nursery Plants Research

Project Number: 8020-21500-002-003-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Dec 1, 2024
End Date: Nov 30, 2026

Objective:
To develop an autonomous field-based robotic platform that integrates sensor fusion and AI-based object detection for precise, high-throughput image acquisition.

Approach:
1. Design and Development of the Robotic Platform: The platform will be built using a Robotic Operating System (ROS) to facilitate autonomous navigation and data acquisition. The robot will be equipped with GPS and inertial measurement units (IMUs) for precise positioning and mapping within the field. Advanced LiDAR sensors and computer vision algorithms will be used to detect objects of interest, such as individual turfgrass plants, and guide the robot to optimal image capture points. A modular design will allow for flexibility in sensor integration and future upgrades. 2. Autonomous Operation and Real-Time Decision Making: The robotic platform will autonomously navigate the field, adjusting its path and speed based on real-time feedback from its sensors. Upon detecting areas of interest, such as plants exhibiting stress symptoms, the robot will stop and capture detailed images. A decision-making algorithm will prioritize which plants to image based on pre-programmed criteria, such as disease severity or plant size.