Design and Inverse Kinematics Analysis of Cable-Suspended Parallel Robot ‘FarmPet’ for Agricultural Applications

Abstract

Abstract: Farming is a very important part of our country in different manners. Traditional methods are not effective for matching today’s world requirements in farming. The world requires efficient & effective technological advancements in farming that are smart, cheap, effective as well as durable & can increase significantly yield. This need gave birth to the idea of a cable suspended farming robot, called "FarmPet". FarmPet is based on a simple mechanism which helps to hover a robot over the field with the help of multiple rope supports. Idea utilizes calculus equations, software programming & inverse kinematics to move the central robot. Through arrangement of four poles (minimum) with a stepper motor mounted on each, cables are driven from each motor and a central robot is fixed at the common end of the cables & is moved around the field supported by these cables. Software algorithms make the central robot move with constant velocity in a circular or straight line path over the field by continuously changing cable lengths in coordination. Robot is designed to perform agricultural tasks like pesticide sprinkling, insecticide sprinkling, spreading seeds, field surveillance, surveying crops & land mapping for efficient cropping without touching crops on ground or even disturbing sensitive crops. Practical testing on the model proved successful, calculations were found efficient and the algorithm worked.