DESCRIPTION

TITLE: Autonomous robot

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an autonomous robot equipped with a multi-spectral sensor. The invention finds a particular application in the agricultural field, and in particular precision agriculture. Such robots are used in particular to establish and share a map of plots of land in order to carry out a diagnosis of the plot.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Autonomous robots are currently used in agriculture to detect within a plot the nutritional needs of plants as well as the presence of bio-aggressors such as weeds, diseases or pests.

To do this, the robots are equipped with detectors or imagers to carry out a diagnosis of the plot in the form of cartography, in order to allow the farmer to carry out precision interventions and to save on inputs and limit the impact on the environment while increasing the productivity of the crops in place.

Documents FR 3006 296 and WO 2014/202777 are known about drones equipped with multi-spectral imaging devices. These remotely piloted drones fly over agricultural plots to collect data and generate maps relating to the state of the agricultural crops flown over.

Such robots have the disadvantage of requiring, often due to legislative constraints, the presence of a trained operator nearby, remotely controlling the drone. These robots cannot therefore carry out the diagnosis of the plots autonomously. In addition, due to their movement at altitude, drones cannot scan the underside of the canopy, limiting the nature of the data acquired.

Document WO 2014/111387 also discloses an automated agricultural robot making it possible to collect precision farming data comprising movement optimization means for moving non-randomly between rows of plantation. Robots configured to produce maps of agricultural parcels are also presented in document RU 2633 431. However, the configuration of these robots leads to a deterioration of the crops that they cross.

Similarly, document WO 2017/002093 relates to a robot designed for automatic weed treatment, comprising an image acquisition system for collecting data. Document WO 2006/063314 also describes a robot fitted with sensors for measuring parameters of the plot. However, the size and bulk of these robots also cause crop deterioration as they pass.

Document WO 2019/040866 describes an autonomous field phenotyping robot comprising a multi-spectral sensor, designed to avoid damaging plantations. However, the mode of implementation described in the document proposes a robot comprising four wheels, which is suitable only for row crops, in particular corn, between which it can move. This robot, on the other hand, is not suitable for crops that are not in rows in which it necessarily causes crop damage.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention therefore aims to remedy the drawbacks of the prior art, by proposing an autonomous robot capable of scanning a plot in a complete manner with a view to carrying out a diagnosis, which is adapted to many types and phenological stages of crops, especially for crops that are not in rows, limiting its impact on crops as much as possible.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

To do this, the present invention proposes an autonomous robot comprising an elongated body along an axis transverse to a direction of movement of the robot and, connected to the elongated body:

- a multi-spectral sensor;

exactly two wheels;

- a stabilization device to control the pitch of the elongated body when the wheels are in motion.

According to the present invention, the wheels consist of spoke wheels.

Such a robot therefore has the advantage, compared to the robots of the state of the art, of having only two wheels, which makes it possible to limit the impact on the crops as it passes by as much as possible. This impact is all the less great as the shape of the wheels, in spokes, makes it possible to minimize the contact surface between the robot and the ground and allows the robot to step over the plants without laying them down. The imbalance caused by the limitation to two wheels is compensated by the presence of the stabilization device.

According to other advantageous and non-limiting characteristics of the invention, taken alone or according to any technically feasible combination:

- the elongated body has a substantially parallelepipedal or cylindrical shape, with an axis transverse to the direction of movement of the robot;

- the autonomous robot also comprises at least one motor configured to set the wheels in motion;

- the motor is integrated into the elongated body;

- the autonomous robot comprises two motors, each motor being associated with a wheel;

- the autonomous robot also comprises energy storage means for powering the motor;

- the energy storage means are integrated in a sealed box provided with a cover and fixed to the elongated body;

- the autonomous robot has a direction of movement in the direction of movement, and a center of gravity located at the rear of the transverse axis with respect to the direction of movement;

- the stabilization device is formed of a rod;

- the cane is a curved cane comprising a straight proximal part and a curved distal part, the proximal part being connected to the elongated body, the distal part being intended to be in contact with the ground when the wheels are in motion;

- the distal part of the cane includes a camera;

- the cane is a rotatable cane around the axis of the proximal part;

- the stabilization device comprises means for moving the center of gravity of the autonomous robot on either side of the transverse axis;

- the stabilization device is formed of a rack and pinion system allowing the movement of the rack in the direction of movement of the robot, the pinion being fixed to the elongated body, the rack being formed of an elongated rod;

- the spokes of the wheels are inclined with respect to the axis of the elongated body;

- each spoke is equipped with a pad to reduce the impact of the wheel on the ground.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the detailed description of the invention which will follow with reference to the appended figures in which:

[Fig. la] FIG. la represents an isometric perspective view of an autonomous robot according to a first embodiment of the invention;

[Fig. lb] Figure lb shows a side view of an autonomous robot according to the first embodiment of the invention;

[Fig. le] FIG. le represents an isometric perspective view of an autonomous robot according to a second embodiment of the invention.

[Fig. 2] Figure 2 shows an isometric perspective view of the interior of an elongated body of an autonomous robot according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

For the sake of simplifying the description to come, the same references are used for identical elements or providing the same function in the different embodiments of the invention.

General description of the autonomous robot

Figures la, lb and le represent respectively an isometric perspective view and a side view of an autonomous robot according to a first embodiment of the invention, and an isometric perspective view of an autonomous robot according to a second embodiment of the invention.

Such a robot 1 can in particular be used in the agricultural field to collect data from an agricultural plot. For example, it can be data allowing to characterize the nutritional needs of the plants of the plot, or to detect the presence of bio-aggressors (weeds, diseases, pests, ...) within the plot.

CLAIMS

1. Autonomous robot (1) comprising an elongated body (3) along an axis transverse to a direction of movement of the robot (1) and, connected to the elongated body (3):

- a multi-spectral sensor (10);

- exactly two wheels (4), the wheels comprising spokes and being devoid of any element joining these spokes with the exception of the hub;

- a stabilization device (9) to control the pitch of the elongated body (3) when the wheels (4) are in motion.

2.Robot autonomous (1) according to the preceding claim, also comprising at least one motor (5) configured to set the wheels (4) in motion.

3.Robot autonomous (1) according to the preceding claim wherein the motor (5) is integrated into the elongated body (3).

4.Robot autonomous (1) according to one of claims 2 and 3 comprising two motors (5), each motor (5) being associated with a wheel (4).

5. Autonomous robot (1) according to one of claims 2 to 4 also comprising energy storage means (6) for supplying the motor(s) (5), the energy storage means ( 6) being integrated in a sealed box (7) provided with a cover (7a) and fixed to the elongated body (3).

6.Robot autonomous (1) according to one of the preceding claims having a direction of movement in the direction of movement, and a center of gravity located at the rear of the transverse axis with respect to the direction of movement.

7.Robot autonomous (1) according to the preceding claim wherein the stabilization device (9) is formed of a rod.

8. Autonomous robot (1) according to the preceding claim, in which the rod (9) is a curved rod comprising a straight proximal part (9a) and a curved distal part (9b), the proximal part (9a) being connected to the elongated body (3), the distal part (9b) being intended to be in contact with the ground when the wheels (4) are in motion.

9.Robot autonomous (1) according to the preceding claim wherein the distal portion (9b) of the rod (9) comprises a camera (9c).

10. Autonomous robot (1) according to one of claims 7 to

9 in which the cane (9) is a rotatable cane around the axis of the proximal part (9a).

11. Autonomous robot (1) according to one of claims 1 to

5 in which the stabilization device (9) comprises means for moving the center of gravity of the autonomous robot (1) on either side of the transverse axis.

12. Autonomous robot (1) according to the preceding claim, in which the stabilization device (9) is formed of a pinion-rack system allowing the movement of the rack in the direction of movement of the robot (1), the pinion being fixed to the elongated body (3), the rack being formed of an elongated rod.

13. Autonomous robot (1) according to one of the preceding claims wherein the plane formed by the spokes (4b) of the wheels (4) is inclined with respect to the axis of the elongated body (3).

14. Autonomous robot (1) according to one of the preceding claims wherein each spoke (4b) is provided with a shoe (4c) to reduce the impact of the wheel (4) on the ground.