• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.31 no.6 s.119
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• pp.489-499
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• 2006

Since the application of chemicals in confined spaces under the canopy of an orchard is hazardous work, it is needed to develop an autonomous guidance system for an orchard sprayer. The autonomous guidance system developed in this research could steer the vehicle by tracking an overhead guidance rail, which was installed on an existing frame structure. The autonomous guidance system consisted of an 80196 kc microprocessor, an inclinometer, two interface circuits of actuators for steering and ground speed control, and a fuzzy control algorithm. In addition, overhead guidance rails for both straight and curved paths were devised, and a trolley was designed to move smoothly along the overhead guidance rails. Evaluation tests showed that the experimental vehicle could travel along the desired path at a ground speed of 30 $\sim$ 50 cm/s with a RMS error of 5 cm and maximum deviation of less than 12 cm. Even when the vehicle started with an initial offset or a deflected heading angle, it could move quickly to track the desired path after traveling 2 $\sim$ 3 m. The vehicle could also complete turns with a curvature of 1 m. However, at a ground speed of 50 cm/s, the vehicle tended to over-steer, resulting in a zigzag motion along the straight path, and tended to turn outward from the projected line of the guidance rail.

• Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
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• v.8
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• pp.107-113
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• 1990

This study was attempted to develop a remote controllable speed sprayer in order to protect an operator from agricultural chemicals. For the purpose of remote controllable transmission was developed by using one chip microcomputer. The following results could be summarized in this study. 1. Remote controllable transmission developed had not made even a single mistake during the test performed 100 times repeat. Thus, it could that this machine was very accurate. 2. One chip microcomputer was made by machine language and its was with in 3 sec's which was the same as human did. 3. One chip microcomputer which was used in the experiment could be widely used to automation of agricultural machinery, since it is smaller and chiper than any other similar ones such as personal computer, lap tap, one board computer. 4. Since, farm tractor has the same type of transmission as this system, it also could be adapted to farm tractors. 5. In this experiment, transmission lever was remote controll were designed to operate simultaneously. Thus, this system developed was more complicate than conventional system. However, by removing this transmission lever and by mounting the remote controll system at the speed sprayer, it would be higher and easier to handle than the conventional one.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.167-174
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• 1996

A Fuzzy Logic Controller(FLC) was developed for the autonomous operation of speedsprayer in an orchard. The autonomous operation with the FLC was graphically simulated under the real condition of the orchard. Image processing was used to find out the direction of running and four ultrasonic sensors were used to detect obstacles for the running. The simulation results showed that the speedsprayer could be operated autonomously with the FLC combined with the image processing and the ultrasonic sensors.

• Asian Journal of Turfgrass Science
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.37-46
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• 2004

The purpose of this study is to find the suitable putting green maintenance equipment for improving the quality of putting green. This study was carried out to investigate the green speed(i.e., ball roll distance) by different the types of greens mower(between work-behind greens mower and riding greens mower), the types of reel blades(between 9 blades and II blades) and the types of roller(between riding soil sprayer and lightweight roller). Green speed of golf course putting greens is assessed by use of Stimpmeter. The west course of Lakeside Country Club was selected for the case study. The results are summarized as follows; 1. The green speed was faster in 3.8 mm moving height treatment plot using work-behind greens mower than in 3.8 mm moving height treatment plot using riding greens mower right after the moving and even after eight hours had passed, and it was statistically significant at a 95% confidence level. Therefore, work-behind greens mower was judged to be a proper equipment type for the fast green management practice than riding greens mower. 2. The green speed was faster in 3.2 mm mowing height treatment plot using work-behind greens mower equipped with II blades than in 3.2 mm mowing height treatment plot using work-behind greens mower equipped with 9 blades, and this result was statistically significant at a 95% confidence level. Therefore, II-blade was judged to be a proper blade type for the fast green management practice than 9-blade. 3. The difference in green speed (green speed increased after rolling) between a treatment plot mowed at 3.0 mm mowing height with the work-behind greens mower and then rolled a single time with riding soil sprayer and a treatment plot mowed at 3.0 mm mowing height with the work-behind greens mower and then rolled once with lightweight roller was not statistically significant at a 95% confidence level. However, the difference in green speed (green speed decreased after rolling) between two treatment plots measured after eight hours had passed was statistically significant at a 95% confidence level. Therefore, the lightweight roller was judged to be a proper roller type for the fast green management practice than the riding soil sprayer.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.271-279
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• 2016

To evaluate exposure characteristics of the insecticide imidacloprid to apple orchard workers during treatment on orchard fields and evaluate its potential risk using a whole body dosimetry (WBD) method, 1,000-time diluted acephate+imidacloprid 25(20+5)% solutions were sprayed on 10 apple orchard fields in Cheongju with a speed sprayer at a rate of 3,000 L/ha/person, after put on clothes such as inner/outer clothes, personal air pump with a IOM sampler, nitrile glove and mask. Exposure test included mixing, loading and application steps. The test pesticide imidacloprid residues in the collected samples were analyzed with a HPLC-DAD. Recoveries ranged from 81.5 to 108.6% for analytical method validation and from 73.8 to 86.7% for field recovery. Total exposed amounts to mixer/loader and applicator were found to be 0.0014-0.0279% of total applied active ingredient of imidacloprid. Glove exposure of both mixer/loader and applicator was higher than the other parts. Margins of safety of mixer/loader and applicator were calculated to be 97-355 and 46-196, respectively, indicating that exposure risk of imidacloprid to apple orchard workers by spraying with a speed sprayer was very low.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.50-59
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• 2013

This study was performed in order to assess the risk of korean orchard worker due to pesticide exposure. The amount of pesticide exposure was calculated based on the informations of 97 kind of items that are used the form of a spraying in Korean orchard. The risks of these pesticides were assessed to compare the exposure amount with AOEL (acceptable operator exposure level) which was released form developed countries. When the operator sprayed pesticides using speed sprayer, 74.2% of pesticide items showed the risk for operator if the operator have not worn the personal protective equipment (PPE), and 42.3% of pesticide items showed the risk for operator if the operator have worn the PPE. In case of using motor sprayer, 64.1% of pesticide items showed the risk for operator if the operator have not worn the PPE, and 19.4% of pesticide items showed the risk for operator if the operator have worn the PPE. This result was indicated that the risk of pesticide against the operator was very high in korean orchard operator.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 2017

A survey was conducted to research on planting system and pesticide spray methods including spray volume, sprayer types, and spray nozzles used in apple orchards. The survey was deployed to 395 farmers in 17 cities and towns including 7 regions which are major producers of apple via interview. Major apple varieties were Fuji (79.2%) and Hongro (50.9%) and high density planting system was mainly used in apple orchards (distance between rows: 4.0-4.5 m (73.1%); planting distance: 1.5-3.5 m (88.6%); canopy height: 3.0-4.5 m (88.2%)). The percentages of sprayer types were 77.6% and 22.1% for speed sprayer (airblast sprayer) and power sprayer, respectively. Spray volumes per 10a were 250-300 L in April, the month of spraying the lowest volume, and 300-400 L in June-August, the months of spraying the highest volume. Significant difference in spray volumes were not observed between conventional planting and high density planting, but regional spray volume showed significant difference. The main nozzles used by apple farmers using power sprayers were super jet nozzle (45%), super wide nozzle (26%), and 2-3 vertical head nozzle (25%). The results will helpful to establish practical agrochemicals management policy including suggestion of pesticide spray volume and evaluation of pesticide residue data and efficacy data.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.75-82
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• 1998

Autonomous speedsprayer operation was conducted using a fuzzy controller combined with a DGPS. The signal of DGPS receiver and signals of four ultrasonic sensors were processed in real time. The speedsprayer was steered with two levers controlled by two hydraulic cylinders. The fuzzy controller has two inputs; direction of running obtained from the DGPS receiver and distance from trees measured by ultrasonic sensors. The operation times of the hydraulic cylinders were inferred as outputs of the fuzzy controller. Field test results showed that the speedsprayer could be autonomously operated by the developed fuzzy controller including turning operation in the end of the tree row. The ultrasonic sensors contributed a little to performance of the autonomous operation, but the speedsprayer could avoid trees or obstacles in emergent situations with them.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.175-181
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• 1996

Autonomous speedsprayer operation was conducted using the developed FLC(Fuzzy Logic Controller). Orchard image and signals of ultrasonic sensors were processed in real time. The speedsprayer was modified to be steered by two hydraulic cylinders. The FLC has two inputs, direction of running and distance from obstacles. The operation time of hydraulic cylinders were inferred as output of the FLC. Field test results showed that the speedsprayer could be autonomously operated by the FLC along with the image processing and the ultrasonic sensors. The ultrasonic sensors didn't contribute to the improvement of guidance performance, but the speedsprayer could avoid trees or obstacles in emergent situations with them.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Agricultural Machinery Conference
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• 1996.06c
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• pp.648-657
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• 1996

Autonomous speedsprayer operation in an orchard was conducted using a fuzzy logic controller (FLC). Orchard image analysis and signals of ultrasonic sensors were processed in real time. The speedsprayer was modified to be steered by two hydraulic cylinders. The FLC has two inputs of direction of running and distance from obstacles. Operation time of the hydraulic cylinders were inferred as output of the FLC. Field test results showed that the speedsprayer could be autonomously operated by the FLC along with the image processing and the ultrasonic sensors. The ultrasonic sensors didn't contribute to the improvement of guidance performance, but the speedsprayer could avoid trees or obstacles in emergent situations with them.