Precise Laser Pest Control

  • Chia-Ying Chang et al.
  • 4040

 

※ The original article was published in the "Instruments Today No. 220" p.74-85 on September 2019. (in Chinese) ※

Chia-Ying Chang, Feng-Chun Hsu, Sumesh Nair, Jing-Jie Su, Chun-Yu Lin, Ken-Yuh Hsu, Shean-Jen Chen

Abstract

In this study, we developed a laser pest control system which combine the key techniques of monocular stereo vision, rapid laser scanning, and intelligent pest recognition for disabling caterpillars. Two caterpillar species of Orgyia Postica and Porthesia Taiwana were considered and their original images were used to train YOLO for identification. Color transform from RGB to HSV was applied to Orgyia Postica, and for Porthesia Taiwana, RGB color space was maintained, to successfully detect the caterpillar’s head. The center of the caterpillar’s head was positively approximated by using k-means clustering algorithm. These newly identified coordinates were then exposed to automatically controlled laser beam. Preliminary experimental results indicated that the second-instar larvae of Porthesia Taiwana could not further ingest food after 1.2 sec of irradiation under laser parameters with wavelength of 450 nm, power of 1.735 W and spot diameter of 2.5 mm. Therefore, this synergistic laser system seems to be a beneficial and promising approach to effectively control the pest population.

Key words: Monocular stereo vision, rapid laser scanning, intelligent pest recognition, Orgyia Postica, Porthesia Taiwana, pest control.


About Authors

Chia-Ying Chang received her Ph.D. at Department of Institute of Computer & Communication from National Cheng Kung University. She is currently an Assistant Researcher of Center for Intelligent photonics in Agricultural Robotics of National Chiao Tung University.

Feng-Chun Hsu is currently a Ph.D. student of Institute of Photonic System at College of Photonics National Chiao Tung University.

Sumesh Nair is currently a Ph.D. student of Institute of Imaging and Biomedical Photonics at College of Photonics National Chiao Tung University.

Jing-Jie Su is currently an engineer of Center for Intelligent photonics in Agricultural Robotics of National Chiao Tung University.

Chun-Yu Lin received his Ph.D. at Department of Engineering Science from National Cheng Kung University. He is currently an Assistant Researcher of Institute of Imaging and Biomedical Photonics at College of Photonics National Chiao Tung University.

Shean-Jen Chen received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from UCLA. He is currently a Professor and the Dean at College of Photonics National Chiao Tung University.
Tel: +886-6-303-2121 ext. 57825; Fax: +886-6-303-2535; E-mail: sheanjen@nctu.edu.tw.