Garford Farm Machinery launches new vision guidance system

The yellow points mark the crop. – Photo: Garford

Garford Farm Machinery has launched a multi-modal vision guidance system during the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in London (Sept 30-Oct 1, 2024).

The new Robocrop AI InRow option should provide greater flexibility and higher resilience to light conditions and weed pressure. Robocrop AI uses artificial intelligence to combine colour, infrared and depth information to precisely identify crop plants and stem location.

“Green on green plant recognition is a step change from the green on brown system that uses colour only. This new system uses multiple different data streams from the camera, and is able to then identify crop plants and distinguish those from weeds or non-crop plants,” explains Garford Farm Machinery managing director Jonathan Henry.

Multi-modal camera system

Robocrop AI differs from other AI systems in the multi-modal camera system. By using infrared cameras, as well as a colour camera, depth imaging, calculating vegetative index and then using data fusion techniques, the system accurately detects stem locations, even where multiple leaves overlap.

The multi-modal camera is combined with an AI neural network, which is trained to identify and recognise the crop plant and stem location, then distinguish it from weeds and non-crop plants, using colour, as well as leaf shape and profile.

Launch in 2025

Available at launch for the 2025 Garford InRow electric rotor weeders for use in salad, brassica and sugar beet crops, the first release Robocrop AI will feature single section steering systems, with single and double camera configurations.

The system features a 10.1” terminal with a Garford developed interface with live stream images and sideshift positioning. Expanding camera support and multiple sections will follow in future seasons.

Available across Garford Farm Machinery’s network of UK and international dealerships and distributors for the 2025 season. The system is only avallable in combination with the Garford system. Price depends on the configuration of the system.