Automation in farming processes is a growing field of research in both academia and industries. A considerable amount of work has been put into this field to develop systems robust enough for farming. Terrace farming, in particular, provides a varying set of challenges, including robust stair climbing methods and stable navigation in unstructured terrains. We propose the design of a novel autonomous terrace farming robot, Aarohi, that can effectively climb steep terraces of considerable heights and execute several farming operations. The design optimisation strategy for the overall mechanical structure is elucidated. Further, the embedded and software architecture along with fail-safe strategies are presented for a working prototype. Algorithms for autonomous traversal over the terrace steps using the scissor lift mechanism and performing various farming operations have also been discussed. The adaptability of the design to specific operational requirements and modular farm tools allow Aarohi to be customised for a wide variety of use cases.
@article{arxiv.2212.01745,
title = {Design of an All-Purpose Terrace Farming Robot},
author = {Vibhakar Mohta and Adarsh Patnaik and Shivam Kumar Panda and Siva Vignesh Krishnan and Abhinav Gupta and Abhay Shukla and Gauri Wadhwa and Shrey Verma and Aditya Bandopadhyay},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2212.01745},
year = {2022}
}