Design Methodology and Optimum Camera Setups for an Experimental Remote-Control Manipulator for Servicing Date Palms

In this article we describe a design process of a manipulator that is designed for complete servicing of a date palm. The feasibility of using this manipulator and determining the optimum position of its cameras as well as the number of cameras to be mounted on the equipment were also investigated. The manipulator was equipped with several cameras for monitoring the operations utilizing a ground-based operator. The operator monitors the manipulator and the end-effector on the display and navigates it using a joystick. In order to build the manipulator, a systematic deign method was utilized. Total length of the manipulator was 100 cm. Four electric motors provide the dynamic force of the manipulator to transport the end effectors to the desired positions for conducting horticultural operations. To investigate the performance of the manipulator, 9 different camera setups and 4 different manipulator distances from the target, were analyzed at 5 replication levels, through a statistical factorial experiment design (4х9). The experiments results showed that the remotely controlled manipulator is efficient in conducting horticultural operations. On the other hand, different camera setups showed significantly different results. The tests also indicated that to obtain the shortest reaching time, three cameras must be installed on the manipulator. The average time for reaching the target from a 100-cm distance was calculated 20.8 seconds.