Design and implementation of a semi-autonomous mini-cultivator using human-machine collaboration systems

This paper proposes a four-wheeled mini-cultivator that can perform the cultivation works after soil preparation via human-machine collaboration system. A bionic cultivation machine that could move up and down is installed under the cultivator. The proposed cultivator can move autonomously through a machine vision-based guidance system. When the cultivator is in the autonomous guidance mode, the operator can also control the steering direction of cultivator manually to correct deviations from the travelling path caused by the misjudgment of the guidance system. The experiment results demonstrate the excavating depth, width of the furrow surface and furrow bottom is 7 cm, 24 cm, and 16 cm, respectively. The lateral error is less than ±3 cm. The proposed cultivator will be more efficient and labor-saving in contrast to traditional engine cultivator.