An innovative project to develop a networked system with sensors that would enable harvest machinery to automatically recognize its surroundings and react to changes was started in July 2014 and ran through the end of October 2017.
The project was a collaboration between Bielefeld University’s Cluster of Excellence Cognitive Interaction Technology (CITEC) in Bielefeld, Germany, and CLAAS, an agricultural machinery manufacturing corporation located in Harsewinkel, Germany. The results of the project were presented October 24 at a workshop in the CITEC Building.
In talking about the primary goal of the project, CITEC researcher Dr. Thorsten Jungeblut, who coordinates the project together with Dr. Boris Kettelhoit from CLAAS, said harvesting machinery often have to operate under difficult conditions, such as muddy fields or even rocky terrain. And the harvest machine operator has only a limited view that is often obscured by plants.
But with the newly developed system for environment detection, Dr. JungeblutIn says, “this way, the machines can adjust their operation based on the conditions of the field — both its state and the crops present.”
Development of the sensor system
Because harvest combines are sometimes as long as a truck. “We, therefore, had to develop a system that ensures that collisions are prevented, for example with wild animals,” says Dr. Jungeblut.
The CITEC group researched resource-efficient and microelectronic systems, which are equipped with sensors such as color and infrared cameras, heat-detecting, or distance sensors. For three years, CITEC and CLAAS, working together developed an intelligent sensor network for electronic environment detection in agricultural harvesting machines.
CITEC researchers also contributed algorithms that analyze sensor data to the project. “Sensor data is combined together and evaluated so that the machine can assess the environment on its own, enabling it to adjust to changing conditions,” explained Dr. Jungeblut. “In addition to this, the system works across different machines. For example, the control system in a combine harvester can warn a tractor of impending obstacles.”
“This new system makes agricultural harvesting machinery more efficient and safer, thus increasing the quality of crop yields,” said Dr. Boris Kettelhoit, from CLAAS. “Damage to people and machines is prevented to the greatest extent possible, and stoppages are reduced.”
About CLAAS
ClAAS is an agricultural machinery manufacturer founded in 1913 and based in Harsewinkel, Ostwestfalen-Lippe, Germany. They have a broad product range that includes combine harvesters, forage harvesters, balers, mowers, rakes, tractors, tenders and other harvesting machines.
They are also the world leader in rubber tracked wheel technology for combine harvesters. CLAAS also lays claim to having the largest selling self-propelled forage harvester in the world.
