Soil treatment using image processing

Abstract

A method performed by a treatment system disposed on a moving platform, the treatment system having one or more processors, a storage and a treatment mechanism, comprising: receiving one or more images of an environment in which the moving platform is operating; identifying, in real-time, a pose of the moving platform using sensor inputs; identifying one or more target objects by processing the one or more images using a machine learning (ML) algorithm; and controlling the treatment mechanism to treat the one or more target objects by orienting the treatment mechanism towards the one or more target objects at least partially based on the pose.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method performed by a treatment system disposed on a moving platform, the treatment system comprising one or more processors, a storage, and a treatment mechanism, the method comprising:
 identifying, by the treatment system, by processing images captured by sensors on the moving platform, a patch of soil for treatment;   configuring the treatment mechanism to interact with the patch of soil by orienting a treatment module; and   treating, after the orienting the treatment module, the patch of soil by activating the treatment mechanism.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the treating the patch of soil comprises emitting a projectile from the treatment mechanism towards the patch of soil. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the treating the patch of soil is performed for facilitating plant cultivation. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the treating the patch of soil is performed for facilitating weed removal. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the treating the patch of soil includes applying a fertilizer to the patch of soil. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the treating the patch of soil comprises seeding the patch of soil. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the orienting the treatment module with the patch of soil comprises orienting the treatment module by combining a global pose estimation determined based on sensor inputs about a world environment in which the treatment system is operating and a local pose estimation determined from sensor inputs that sense a local environment of the treatment system. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the sensor inputs about the world environment are captured using a global positioning system (GPS) sensor, an inertial measurement unit (IMU), a laser sensor, a lidar sensor, a depth sensing sensor, a camera, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the sensor inputs that sense the local environment are captured using the images captured by image sensors. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the orienting the treatment module comprises rotating and moving a gimbal assembly to a desired pitch angle and a desired yaw angle such that a position of a head of the treatment module is aligned with a line of sight towards the patch of soil. 
     
     
         11 . A treatment system disposed on a moving platform, comprising:
 one or more processors, and   a treatment mechanism comprising a treatment module,   wherein the one or more processors are configured to:   identify, by processing images captured by sensors on the moving platform, a patch of soil for treatment;   configure the treatment mechanism to interact with the patch of soil by orienting a treatment module; and   treat, after the orienting the treatment module, the patch of soil by activating the treatment mechanism.   
     
     
         12 . The treatment system of  claim 11 , wherein the treating the patch of soil comprises emitting a projectile from the treatment mechanism towards the patch of soil. 
     
     
         13 . The treatment system of  claim 11 , wherein the treating the patch of soil is performed for facilitating plant cultivation. 
     
     
         14 . The treatment system of  claim 11 , wherein the treating the patch of soil is performed for facilitating weed removal. 
     
     
         15 . The treatment system of  claim 11 , wherein the treating the patch of soil includes applying a fertilizer to the patch of soil. 
     
     
         16 . The treatment system of  claim 11 , wherein the treating the patch of soil comprises seeding the patch of soil. 
     
     
         17 . The treatment system of  claim 11 , wherein the orienting the treatment module with the patch of soil comprises orienting the treatment module by combining a global pose estimation determined based on sensor inputs about a world environment in which the treatment system is operating and a local pose estimation determined from sensor inputs that sense a local environment of the treatment system. 
     
     
         18 . The treatment system of  claim 17 , wherein the sensor inputs about the world environment are captured using a global positioning system (GPS) sensor, an inertial measurement unit (IMU), a laser sensor, a lidar sensor, a depth sensing sensor, a camera, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The treatment system of  claim 11 , wherein the orienting the treatment module comprises rotating and moving a gimbal assembly to a desired pitch angle and a desired yaw angle such that a position of a head of the treatment module is aligned with a line of sight towards the patch of soil. 
     
     
         20 . A computer readable medium having processor-executable code stored thereupon, the code, upon execution by a processor a treatment system disposed on a moving platform, causing the treatment system to:
 identify, by processing images captured by sensors on the moving platform, a patch of soil for treatment;   configure a treatment mechanism of the treatment system to interact with the patch of soil by orienting a treatment module of the treatment mechanism; and   treat, after the orienting the treatment module, the patch of soil by activating the treatment mechanism.