• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.107-114
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• 2020

In robotic harvesting, a gripper to manipulate the fruits needs to be attached to the robot system. We proposed a flexible robot gripper that can actively respond to the shape of an object such as fruits in the previous work. However, we found that there is a possibility of not being reliably gripped when the object slides during contact with a finger. In this paper, the improved gripper design is proposed to fundamentally solve the problems of the previous gripper. The position of the finger and the maximum closed position are changed, and the design improvement is performed to increase the grip stability by changing the installation angle of the link portion of the finger. Based on the improved design, a modified gripper is fabricated by 3-D printing, and then gripping experiments are performed on spherical object and fruit model object. It is shown that the gripper can stably grip the objects without excessive bending of the finger link of the gripper. The contact pressure between the finger and the surface of the object is measured, and it is verified that it is a sufficiently small pressure that does not cause damage to the fruit. Therefore, the proposed gripper is expected to be successfully applied in harvesting.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.338-343
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• 2007

This experiment was conducted to improve light environment of oriental melon cultivation in winter season. Three polyolefin (J-1, J-2 and J-3), two polyethylene (K-1 and K-2) films and K-3 commonly used in farmhouses, with different film thickness, ultraviolet ray interception and infrared ray absorption ratio were used. Heat conservation of J-2 was highest, compare to K-3, J-3 and J-1. Early growth of J-1, J-2 and J-3 were faster than K-3, and Days required to harvest of K-3 were shortened about 10 days. Marketable yield of K-3 was 991kg per 10a, those of J-1, J-2, J-3, K-1 and K-2 were increased 21%, 37%, 24%, 13% and 4% compare to K-3, respectively. Especially, harvesting of J-1, J-2, J-3 and K-1 were focused on early (50%) and middle stage (40%). Polyolefin with higher heat conservation improved growth and harvesting in early and shortened days to harvesting in winter season.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.157-162
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• 2002

The efficient timer-controlled irrigation and the favorable fruiting position were investigated far highly quality melon fruits from Feb.18 to July Si 1999. The nutrient solution was supplied either at every hour from 6：00 to 18：00 (T-1) or at 6：00, 8：00, 10：00, 11：00, 12：00, 12：30, 13：00, 13：30, 14：00, 14：30, IS：00,16：00, and 17：00 (T-2). A fruit was set at the first node of the fruit bearing branch from the 10, 12, or 13th node of the main stem. Pot weight was maintained at almost n constant level, regardless of the daily integrated solar radiation in T-2. Soluble solids content (SSC) and fresh weight of fruit were not significantly different among the irrigation treatments at each harvesting time. At the first harvest, SSC and fresh weight of fruit were not significantly different between the fruiting positions within the irrigation treatment. At the second harvest, SSC was higher in T-2 than T-1. The SSC was low in the fruit of the loth node in T-1, while it was not significantly different between fruiting positions in T-2. Fruit fresh weight was the highest at the 12 and 13th nodes in T-1, and the 13th node in T-2. Fresh and dry weights of leaf except petiole, regardless of harvesting time, increased as the node position was higher, The higher the fruiting position was, the lower the leaf weight was. Therefore, it is recommended to irrigate more frequently during the mid-noon. Fruits can be harvested earlier at the lower nodes in the spring crop production.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.134-141
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• 2014

Purposes: This study was to validate the Robotic Smart Work System that can provides better working conditions and high productivity in unstructured environments like bio-industry, based on a tele-operation system for fruit harvesting with low cost 3-D positioning system on the laboratory level. Methods: For the Robotic Smart Work System for fruit harvesting and cultivation management in agriculture, a vision based tele-operating system and 3-D position information are key elements. This study proposed Robotic Smart Farming, an agricultural version of Robotic Smart Work System, and validated a 3-D position information system with a low cost omni camera and a laser marker system in the lab environment in order to get a vision based tele-operating system and 3-D position information. Results: The tasks like harvesting of the fixed target and cultivation management were accomplished even if there was a short time delay (30 ms ~ 100 ms). Although automatic conveyor works requiring accurate timing and positioning yield high productivity, the tele-operation with user's intuition will be more efficient in unstructured environments which require target selection and judgment. Conclusions: This system increased work efficiency and stability by considering ancillary intelligence as well as user's experience and knowhow. In addition, senior and female workers will operate the system easily because it can reduce labor and minimized user fatigue.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.1681-1689
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• 2015

This study was conducted to investigate days after anthesis (DAA) and fruit after-ripening period (FAP) for seed-harvesting of high quality watermelon seeds. Fruit weight and number of seed per fruit increased according to DAA, while those did not significant about FAP. Ratio of cotyledon at whole seed was higher about 2 to 4% compared to seed coat irrespective of DAA and FAP. Germinability of watermelon was not a significant effect by DAA, however, it had differences by FAP. Percent of germination (PB) was below 50%, when 30 days maturated fruits after anthesis was omitted ripening, while PB was increased to 92% by ripening. In addition, seeds at DAA 40 and FAP 20 were higher general seedling vigors (hypocotyl length, diameter etc.) in BP test. Results indicated that considering seed productivity, it had maximized seed viability at DAA 40 and FAP 20.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.549-554
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• 2011

The effect of full bloom date and growing season weather on harvesting date of 'Niitaka' pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) in Naju province and the model of multiple linear regression for predicting the fruit growing days was studied. Earlier year in full bloom date, the harvesting date tended earlier but fruit growing days tended longer. Mean and coefficient of variation of fruit growing degree days (GDD) accumulated daily mean and maximum temperature at the base of $0^{\circ}C$ from full bloom date to harvesting date was 3,565, 2.9% and 4,463, 2.5%, respectively. Fruit growing days was not correlated with the fruit GDD accumulated daily mean and maximum temperature at the base of $0^{\circ}C$ in each month but highly correlated with GDD accumulated daily meteorological factors at days after full bloom date. Especially, it was highly negatively correlated with GDD accumulated daily mean and maximum temperature at the base of $0^{\circ}C$ from $1^{st}$ day after full bloom to $60^{th}$ day. The determination coefficient ($r^2$) of multiple linear regression model by full bloom date, GDD accumulated daily mean and maximum temperature from $1^{st}$ day after full bloom to $60^{th}$ day for predicting fruit growing days was 0.7212. As a result, the fruit growing days of 'Niitaka' pear in Naju province can predict with 72% accuracy by the model of multiple linear regression.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.99-109
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• 2023

In this paper, the cinch bag typed fruit harvesting gripper was proposed. This gripper is focused on preventing problems that we found from the related research and setting the breakthrough as a design condition according to the harvest failures of other related studies. The cover part is designed to overcome the surrounding obstacles of target fruits such as tomato, Korean melon, and sweet pepper. The measurement of maximum load showed that the well-grasped target object, such as a spherical object with 65 mm of diameter, is unable to slip in a range of 0 kg to 10 kg. The fact that the gripper allows from 4 cm to 6 cm of positional error was shown in the measurement of positional error tolerance. And the cover part of this gripper showed that the suggested gripper can grab a target object without being obstructed by leaves and stems. Finally, it was proved that the gripper satisfied the design conditions through the measurement of contacting force, which showed it is appropriate for grasping an actual fruit without damage.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.1673-1679
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• 2015

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of fruit set internode on the germination of watermelon seeds. Generally fruits setted in higher than 20 internode were high percent of germination, fruit setted in low internode(5-10) is low. The higher fruit-set internode, fruit weight was significantly increased, but 1,000 seed weight was decreased the more fruit set internode. However number of seed was about 300 seeds irrespective of fruit-set internode. Investigating viability of seed by BP test, general percent germination was recorded highest at 5 flower cluster above 20 internode of fruit-set internode. In contrast, condition of fruit setted on 3, 4, 6 flower cluster were high percent of germination, regarded as unnormal germination not to be as normal seedling by 2~3%. Seed harvested at 5 flower-cluster had high viability on hypocotyl height and diameter of seedling through early growth test, but were not significant. Therefore 5 flower-cluster was optimum fruit-set internode to obtain high-quality seed.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.365-371
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• 2012

This study was carried out to know the characteristics of flowering and bearing fruit, the optimum period, regions and methods for seed harvesting, the optimum temperatures for seed storage and germination, and the optimum period for sowing at nursery bed and seedling transplanting of Valeriana fauriei Briquet. The flowering and bearing fruit of Valeriana fauriei was developed from the before-year root. Optimum period for seed harvest of Valeriana fauriei was from late July to middle August, and optimum areas were the high elevated areas over 500 m above the sea level as Jinbu-myeon, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do. Using of net-bag for seed harvesting was the effective method to gather the full ripe seed, and bagging of net-bag was necessary from the season of middle May that was the flowering middle-stage. Germination rates don't show the difference among the different temperatures of storage as approximately 41% at $-20^{\circ}C$, $2^{\circ}C$ or $20^{\circ}C$ of seed storage temperatures. The optimum temperature range was in $15{\sim}30^{\circ}C$ for seed germination at nursery bed. The optimum period for seed sowing at nursery bed was the late February, and the optimum period for seedling transplanting was the middle April.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.166-172
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• 2019

BACKGROUND: Increase in the ratio of small berries in blueberry production decreases the farmers' profits due to weakening market competitiveness and lowering harvest efficiency. One of the reasons for increased small berries is over fruit-load. For improving productivity and competitiveness of blueberry in Korea, hand-thinning can be applied to increase fruit quality before the developing adequate chemical thinning methods. This study was conducted to investigate the proper timing and methods for floral buds thinning in rabbiteye blueberry. METHODS AND RESULTS: Eight years old bushes of rabbiteye bluberries 'Brightwell' as a primary cultivar and 'Powderblue' as a pollinizer were used for this study. Fruit size distribution by leaf-to-fruit ratio was investigated by counting the number of leaves and fruits in canes of 127 'Brightwell' plants whose fruit set varied. Fifty percent of flowers/floral buds were removed in four different floral buds stages such as bud swell, late pink bud, full bloom, and petal fall, and the consumed time for thinning and fruit characteristics were recorded to investigate the effect and proper timing of floral buds thinning. Fruit weight and soluble solids content tended to increase in proportion to leaf-to-fruit ratio and the production of the number of fruits less than 13 mm in diameter decreased when leaf-to-fruit ratio was more than 2.5. Manual floral buds thinning by hands was fastest in full bloom stage and slowest in bud swelling stage. In all cultivars, fruit size was significantly smaller in non-thinning treatment than thinning, and there was, however, no significant difference in total fruit yield. The number of fruits less than 13 mm in diameter increased in both cultivars as floral buds thinning was delayed. Consumed time for picking 90% berries out of total berries per bush was shortest in full bloom stage thinning in 'Brightwell' and bud swelling, full bloom thinning in 'Powderblue'. These were 25 and 20 days faster than no thinning, respectively. CONCLUSION: Although the effect of floral buds thinning varied depending on the cultivars, our results confirmed that floral buds thinning was effective for the early intensive harvesting and the increase of the large fruit ratio and the harvesting productivity. Also, in order to increase thinning efficiency, it is recommended to remove the flower buds before the full bloom stage.