Over the past century, mechanization has been an important means for optimizing resource utilization, improving worker health and safety and reducing labor requirements in farming while increasing productivity and quality of 4F (Food, Fuel, Fiber, Feed). Recognizing this contribution, agricultural mechanization was considered as one of the top ten engineering achievements of 20th century by the National Academy of Engineering. Accordingly farming communities have adopted increasing level of automation and robotics to further improve the precision management of crops (including input resources), increase productivity and reduce farm labor beyond what has been possible with conventional mechanization technologies. It is more important than ever to continue to develop and adopt novel automation and robotic solutions into farming so that some of the most complex agricultural tasks, which require huge amount of seasonal labor such as fruit and vegetable harvesting, could be automated while meeting the rapidly increasing need for 4F. In addition, continual innovation in and adoption of agricultural automation and robotic technologies is essential to minimize the use of depleting resources including water, minerals and other chemicals so that sufficient amount of safe and healthy food can be produced for current generation while not compromising the potential for the future generation. This book aims at presenting the fundamental principles of various aspects of automation and robotics as they relate to production agriculture (the branch of agriculture dealing with farming operations from field preparation to seeding, to harvesting and field logistics). The building blocks of agricultural automation and robotics that are discussed in the book include sensing and machine vision, control, guidance, manipulation and end-effector technologies. The fundamentals and operating principles of these technologies are explained with examples from cutting-edge research and development currently going on around the word. This book brings together scientists, engineers, students and professionals working in these and related technologies to present their latest examples of agricultural automation and robotics research, innovation and development while explaining the fundamentals of the technology. The book, therefore, benefits those who wish to develop novel agricultural engineering solutions and/or to adopt them in the future. .

Over the past century, mechanization has been an important means for optimizing resource utilization, improving worker health and safety and reducing labor requirements in farming while increasing productivity and quality of 4F (Food, Fuel, Fiber, Feed). Recognizing this contribution, agricultural mechanization was considered as one of the top ten engineering achievements of 20th century by the National Academy of Engineering. Accordingly farming communities have adopted increasing level of automation and robotics to further improve the precision management of crops (including input resources), increase productivity and reduce farm labor beyond what has been possible with conventional mechanization technologies. It is more important than ever to continue to develop and adopt novel automation and robotic solutions into farming so that some of the most complex agricultural tasks, which require huge amount of seasonal labor such as fruit and vegetable harvesting, could be automated while meeting the rapidly increasing need for 4F. In addition, continual innovation in and adoption of agricultural automation and robotic technologies is essential to minimize the use of depleting resources including water, minerals and other chemicals so that sufficient amount of safe and healthy food can be produced for current generation while not compromising the potential for the future generation. This book aims at presenting the fundamental principles of various aspects of automation and robotics as they relate to production agriculture (the branch of agriculture dealing with farming operations from field preparation to seeding, to harvesting and field logistics). The building blocks of agricultural automation and robotics that are discussed in the book include sensing and machine vision, control, guidance, manipulation and end-effector technologies. The fundamentals and operating principles of these technologies are explained with examples from cutting-edge research and development currently going on around the word. This book brings together scientists, engineers, students and professionals working in these and related technologies to present their latest examples of agricultural automation and robotics research, innovation and development while explaining the fundamentals of the technology. The book, therefore, benefits those who wish to develop novel agricultural engineering solutions and/or to adopt them in the future. .

Digital agriculture is an emerging concept of modern farming that refers to managing farms using modern Engineering, Information and Communication Technologies (EICT) aiming at increasing the overall efficiency of agricultural production, improving the quantity and quality of products, and optimizing the human labor required and natural resource consumption in operations. This encyclopedia is designed to collect the summaries of knowledge on as many as subjects or aspects relevant to ECIT for digital agriculture, present such knowledge in entries, and arrange them alphabetically by articles titles. Springer Major Reference Works platform offers Live Update capability. Our reference work takes full advantage of this feature, which allows for continuous improvement or revision of published content electronically. The Editorial Board Dr. Irwin R. Donis-Gonzalez, University of California Davis, Dept. Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Davis, USA (Section: Postharvest Technologies) Prof. Paul Heinemann, Pennsylvania State University, Department Head of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, PA, USA (Section: Technologies for Crop Production) Prof. Manoj Karkee, Washington State University, Center for Precision and Automated Agricultural Systems, Washington, USA (Section: Robotics and Automation Technologies) Prof. Minzan Li, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China (Section: Precision Agricultural Technologies) Prof. Dikai Liu, University of Technology Sydney (UTS),Faculty of Engineering & Information Technologies, Broadway NSW, Australia (Section: AI, Information and Communication Technologies) Prof. Tomas Norton, University of Leuven, Dept. of Biosystems, Heverlee Leuven, Belgium (Section: Technologies for Animal and Aquatic Production) Dr. Manuela Zude-Sasse, Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB), Precision Horticulture, Potsdam, Germany (Section: Engineering and Mechanization Technologies)

Agricultural systems are uniquely complex systems, given that agricultural systems are parts of natural and ecological systems. Those aspects bring in a substantial degree of uncertainty in system operation. Also, impact factors, such as weather factors, are critical in agricultural systems but these factors are uncontrollable in system management. Modern agriculture has been evolving through precision agriculture beginning in the late 1980s and biotechnological innovations in the early 2000s. Precision agriculture implements site-specific crop production management by integrating agricultural mechanization and information technology in geographic information system (GIS), global navigation satellite system (GNSS), and remote sensing. Now, precision agriculture is set to evolve into smart agriculture with advanced systematization, informatization, intelligence and automation. From precision agriculture to smart agriculture, there is a substantial amount of specific control and communication problems that have been investigated and will continue to be studied. In this book, the core ideas and methods from control problems in agricultural production systems are extracted, and a system view of agricultural production is formulated for the analysis and design of management strategies to control and optimize agricultural production systems while exploiting the intrinsic feedback information-exchanging mechanisms. On this basis, the theoretical framework of agricultural cybernetics is established to predict and control the behavior of agricultural production systems through control theory.

This book provides a complete and comprehensive reference for agricultural mobile robots, covering all aspects of the design process, from sensing and perceiving to planning and acting for practical farming applications. Mobile Robots for Digital Farming explores topics such as Robot Operating Systems (ROS), dynamic simulation, artificial intelligence, image processing, and machine learning. Additionally, it features multiple case studies from funded projects and real-field trials. This book will be useful for professors and academics in various engineering disciplines (mechanical, robotics, control, electrical, computer, and agricultural), graduate and undergraduate students, farmers, commercial growers, startups, private companies, consultancy agencies, equipment suppliers, and agricultural policymakers.

This book covers smart agricultural space and its further development with an emphasis on ultra-saving labor shortages using AI-based technologies. A transboundary approach, as well as artificial intelligence (AI) and big data for bioinformatics, are required to increase timeliness and supplement the labor shortages, ensure the safety of intangible labor migration system to achieve one of the sustainable development goals (SDG) to secure food security (Society 5.0, SDG 1 and 2). With this in mind, the book focuses on the solution through smart Internet of Things (IoT) and AI-based agriculture, such as automation navigation, insect infestation, and decreasing agricultural inputs such as water and fertilizer, to maintain food security while ensuring environmental sustainability. Readers will gain a solid foundation for developing new knowledge through the in-depth research and education orientation of the book on how the deployment of outdoor and indoor sensors, AI/machine learning (ML), and IoT setups for sensing, tracking, collection, processing, and storing information over cloud platforms is nurturing and driving the pace of smart agriculture outdoor and indoors at this current time. Furthermore, the book introduces the smart system for automation challenges that are important for an unmanned system for considering safety and security points. The book is designed for researchers, graduates, and undergraduate students working in any area of machine learning, deep learning in agricultural engineering, smart agriculture, and environmental science. The greatest care has been made to deliver a diverse range of resource areas, as well as enormous insights into the significance and scope of IoT, AI, and ML in the development of intelligent digital farming and smart agriculture, providing comprehensive information to the intended readers.

In a world where automation is quickly becoming a standard, a significant challenge arises – the need for robots to overcome their inherent limitations in processing power and storage. This bottleneck restricts their potential for innovation and collaboration, hindering the realization of true autonomous capabilities. The burgeoning field of Cloud Robotics promises a revolutionary solution by seamlessly integrating robots with cloud-based technologies. This integration empowers robots to offload computation tasks, tap into vast data resources, and engage in real-time collaboration with their mechanical counterparts. Existing literature often falls short of providing a holistic understanding of the complex interplay between robotics and cloud computing. Researchers, academics, and industry professionals find themselves grappling with fragmented insights, hindering their ability to harness the full potential of cloud-enhanced robotics. The lack of a centralized resource leaves a void, impeding progress and innovation in this groundbreaking field. Without a roadmap to navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by cloud robotics, stakeholders risk being left behind in an era where interdisciplinary collaboration is paramount. Enter Shaping the Future of Automation With Cloud-Enhanced Robotics, a beacon of knowledge designed specifically for academics, researchers, and industry professionals seeking to unlock the transformative power of cloud robotics. From fundamental principles to advanced applications, each chapter meticulously unravels the intricacies of cloud infrastructure, communication protocols, data management, human-robot interaction, and more. By addressing challenges and proposing solutions, this book not only disseminates recent advancements but also equips readers with actionable insights. Real-world examples and case studies illuminate the practical applications and benefits of cloud-enhanced robotics, making it an indispensable guide for professionals aiming to implement these innovations in their operations.

This new book delves into how modern technologies—i.e., global positioning systems (GPS), unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), image processing methods, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and deep learning—are being used to make agriculture more farmer-friendly and more economically profitable. The volume focuses on the use of smart sensors, actuators, and decision support systems to provide intelligent data about crop health and for monitoring for yield prediction, soil quality, nutrition requirement prediction, etc. The authors discuss robotic-based innovations in agriculture, soft computing methodologies for crop forecasting, machine learning techniques to classify and identify plant diseases, deep convolutional neural networks for recognizing nutrient deficiencies, and more.

Modern tree fruit orchards and vineyards constitute complex production systems that are exposed to highly dynamic and stochastic natural, financial and societal forces, and face demands for increased production using fewer resources, with reduced environmental impact. Successful operation of orchards and vineyards under these conditions is practically impossible without careful and extensive use of state-of-the-art automation technologies and careful planning of future operations (e.g., training systems when replanting) that can be enabled by knowledge of emerging technologies and future trends. Also, improvement of existing automation technologies and development of novel future systems cannot be accomplished without a working understanding of the tree and vine biological production systems, their management needs, and the capabilities and limitations of existing automation systems. The book aims to provide the necessary knowledge to achieve the above goals in a way that can engage readers without engineering or horticultural backgrounds.