Development of a somatosensory controller for positioning a manipulator device for picking apples

Abstract

The aim of the study is to develop a somatosensory controller for remote control of a manipulator for picking apples using resistive sensors, a gyroscope and an accelerometer. A computer simulation of the process of picking fruits from a tree crown was carried out in the Gazebo simulator using a somatosensory controller. An environment has been created, including a model of a manipulator for picking apple fruits and a fruit tree, and the properties of the environment have been set. To conduct a comparative experiment to evaluate the results of computer simulation of the process of picking apple fruits using a self-sensor controller and a manufactured sample of a manipulator, artificial models of trees with an identical crown and the location of fruits in the crown at a distance of no more than 1,5 meters from the zero point of the manipulator were used. According to the results of the research, it was found that the average time for picking one apple fruit by a manufactured manipulator in an automated mode is 12,9 seconds, the minimum time was 9,4 seconds, the maximum 15,9 seconds. Gazebo environment using a self-touch controller was 11,7 seconds. The minimum time was 8 seconds, the maximum 14,9 seconds. The development of digital intelligent systems, telematic services will ensure the widespread use of the proposed method for monitoring and managing the group work of robotic tools in the cultivation of fruit and berry crops.