Development of a Mechatronic System for Plant Recognition and Intra-row Weeding With Machine Vision

In this paper, an electro-mechanical integrated weed management system was designed, constructed, and tested. This laboratory-scale solution integrated elements of machine vision, controls, and mechanical actuation to selectively remove weeds from within a crop row. The device was validated in a controlled environment using corn crops. Various crop conditions were considered to ensure the robustness of the design. Though some design aspects should be reworked for improved results, the device can effectively be used to facilitate small-scale research for automated weeding strategies.