Robot destroyer set to seek out slugs?
Robot destroyer set to seek out slugs?
By Edward Long
BELIEVE it or not, scientists are set to field-test the worlds first ever robot designed to seek out and destroy slugs.
The SlugBot, which is expected to be field-tested early next year, will roam free in a newly sown crop helping itself to its prey. The bodies of the slugs will be used to fuel the gadgets activities.
Designed and built by the Intelligent Autonomous Systems group of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of the West of England, Bristol the SlugBot project has funding from the Engineering and Science Research Council.
The prototype, a 45cm (18 inch) square aluminium box, houses a bank of low powered electric motors with a wheel at each corner. On top a turntable-mounted carbon fibre arm with a reach of 1.8m (6ft) is fitted with a 3-fingered gripper with scrapers to wipe slugs and slime off the fingers.
Rechargeable batteries and the control gear are mounted behind the turntable to counter-balance the long arm.
A low powered camera-like image sensor mounted at the end of the arm scans for slugs. To aid detection, particularly at night the camera is fitted with a red filter, so slugs show up as bright white blobs against a dark background when red light is shone from the robot onto the ground.
Optical software
To confirm the target is prey the image is checked by optical shape recognition software. If there is a match the gripper arm activates, picks up the slug and drops it in a hopper. The robot can collect up to 10 slugs/min.
"When a full load has been collected, or the SlugBot is running low on power, it will return to base to recharge its batteries," says the groups Dr Ian Kelly. "Locating the base will be achieved using a combination of the differential global positioning satellite system and an active infra-red localisation system."
Converted to bio-gas
At the base slugs will be deposited into a fermentation chamber where bacteria convert them into bio-gas. This is used to load a fuel cell to produce the electricity needed to recharge the batteries for the next mission.
Dr Kelly hopes for a high percentage energy return to give the Lunar Rover-like machine the self-sufficiency and freedom to operate on its own for long periods without human intervention.
"SlugBot combines both existing and new technologies, but there is no rocket science involved," Dr Kelly points out. The prototype cost less than £1500 in components. A production model could cost far less.
SlugBot will help researchers and could aid on-farm slug control too, particularly in an organic system where conventional chemical control methods cannot be used, he notes. "We are working towards it being operational for field trials early next year."
SLUGBOT
• Automated slug-catching robot.
• High-tech camera identifies slugs.
• Sophisticated guidance system allows auto operation.
• Field trials next spring.
• Organic role?
SLUGBOT
• Automated slug-catching robot.
• High-tech camera identifies slugs.
• Sophisticated guidance system allows auto operation.
• Field trials next spring.
• Organic role?