Crop-Row Detector Equipped with One-dimensional Image Sensor (Part 3)

In order to clarify the running detection characteristics and the adaptability to the steering control of the crop-row detector which had been developed in the previous paper, the crop-row detector was mounted on a computer controlled automatic steering vehicle, and row following tests were conducted in bending crop rows. As the target crop row is approximated to a straight line in this detecting method, detecting errors are unavoidable at bending points. However, by adopting simple control algorithm that countervail detecting errors and ridge detector using infrared rays, the vehicle followed well along the target rows. Through the improvement of sampling rate and control algorithm so as to delay steering, the steering control will be possible in practical working speed by crop-row detector alone. 〔Keyword〕 crop-row detector, row following control, optical sensing, real time sensing, automatic steering control,one-dimensional image sensor