Data communication Precision farming systems for agricultural technology

Related Vendors

Sensor-Technik Wiedemann GmbH (STW)

FAULHABER Drive Systems

Taiwan Machine Tool & Accessory Builders' Association (TMBA)

Wuxi InfiMotion Technology Co., Ltd.

In the management of large agricultural areas, automated systems maximize efficiency and yields. The resources can range from tractor-implement applications based on ISOBUS to fully autonomous processes. The automation specialists at STW are experts in all challenges related to the efficient use of automation systems in agricultural technology.

Maximizing crop yields is the goal of every farmer. The development departments of agricultural machinery manufacturers take this maxim into account and are introducing ever larger and more complex machines to the market. Because the aim of harvesting as much grain, fruit, vegetables, or other agricultural products as possible is accompanied by the need for maximum precision. Precision farming has been the defining term in recent years. This requires powerful control technology that evaluates sensor data and passes it on to the actuators of the implement to ensure the most demand-driven cultivation of the farmed area. This way, resources are used with maximum efficiency.

In many agricultural applications, the interaction between the tractor and the implement is necessary. This makes the exchange of sensor and control data even more demanding, especially since tractor manufacturers and implement manufacturers are often not the same. This is where the Isobus comes into play as a manufacturer-neutral standard for communication between agricultural vehicles and equipment.

Fast standard for data communication

The Isobus standard offers many advantages, from improved efficiency and productivity to increased operator comfort through functions of the implement that can be controlled directly from the tractor cab. The AEF (Agricultural Industry Electronics Foundation), the organization behind the Isobus standard, is currently working on the introduction of High-Speed Isobus. With this extension of the standard interface, much faster data communication is possible, allowing for the efficient exchange of far larger data streams directly between the vehicle and the implement than previously possible.

Control

Mini-controller with integrated tilt sensor

This offers enormous potential for innovative technologies, such as Tractor Implement Management (TIM). It enables bidirectional communication between the tractor and the implement. Until now, the towing vehicle was the leading element in the agricultural process. The operator's commands were transmitted via the on-board electronics and the Isobus interface to the towed implement, and the actuators acted in accordance with these inputs.

Sensors and control guide the process

With the help of TIM, the sensors and control architecture of the implement now take the lead over the process. The intelligence of the towed implement dictates to the tractor how much power is required or at what speed to optimally cover the area to be cultivated. This makes the process more efficient and maximizes crop yields.

TIM relieves the operator, who can now fully focus on controlling and monitoring the overall process, as repetitive and monotonous tasks are automated. The variance in the achieved result, which otherwise depends on the operator's knowledge and experience, is minimized. Typical applications that particularly benefit from Tractor Implement Management include, for example, the automated adjustment of width and depth in plowing operations. STW offers the BCX.4cs-ag, a powerful on-board network control device that acts as a controller and central electrics, supporting both Tractor-Implement Management via Isobus and switching and regulating larger loads such as lights and motors. The mobile controller ESX.4cl-ag also supports High-Speed Isobus.

High-performance computing for autonomous processes

Highly automated machines with autonomous work processes take efficiency maximization even further. Humans are largely removed from the equation as a factor for the success of the process. Self-driving harvesters that traverse fields based on GPS routes have been on the market for many years. They can now be further supported by AI-assisted systems that promise maximum harvest yields. For example, STW is working on a development project for a 360-degree birdview camera system with integrated person and object recognition. This not only enhances safety for all people and animals in the field but also for the machines, as collisions and thus costly repairs are avoided. Especially during the time-critical harvest process, such downtimes can have significant economic consequences.

The hardware basis for this system is provided by the HPX high-performance computer, which STW has developed for such highly demanding AI applications. The HPX utilizes the latest innovations from chip manufacturers to offer maximum performance.

Cloud connectivity and digitalization

However, the computing power on the machines is limited, even with the most powerful control devices. One approach to overcoming this limit is the use of edge or cloud computing. Leading agricultural machinery manufacturers already use services like those from Amazon Web Services to improve production processes and outsource big data processing. They offer the advantage of continuously capturing gigabytes of data from countless sources and can be scaled flexibly.

STW demonstrated in a proof of concept how the interaction of powerful computing architectures on mobile machines and stationary surveillance cameras can implement assistance functions using a 5G-edge computing infrastructure. In this scenario, STW uses the HPX as a high-performance computer on the machines, which pre-processes video data and sends it to the cloud via the STW communication module TCG-4. The system also takes into account additional data from the surrounding infrastructure, such as from surveillance cameras. The use of 5G transmission technology allowed for very high data rates and low latency or real-time capability. In this way, the study partners were able to combine and channel a variety of heterogeneous data from mixed machine and equipment fleets as well as external data providers and use it for decision-making in automated or autonomous processes.

This approach offers the potential in agricultural technology to network fleets of machines consisting of various brands and manufacturers. Since such a system has no local restrictions, supra-regional solutions for field logistics can be realized, optimizing the complex processes of farm management.

STW sees itself as a cooperative partner of agricultural machinery manufacturers and supports both the development of tailored solutions and the implementation of systems. Thanks to participation in a variety of cross-manufacturer research projects, machinery manufacturers consistently benefit from the latest scientific knowledge and can develop innovation-leading systems together with STW, providing them with a competitive advantage.