1. Develop a real-time, transplant geoposition data-logging
system which could record, at the moment each transplant
is placed into the soil, the relative position of the
planting shoe of the transplanter with respect to the RTKGPS
system mounted on the tractor via a tractor-planter
hitch position sensor and roll and pitch inclination
sensors on the transplanter.
2. Produce geospatial transplant maps, containing the true
geoposition of each transplant, using the real-time GPS
coordinates from the tractor-mounted RTK-GPS auto guidance
system, transplanter odometry, and the relative
position and orientation of the transplanter relative to the
tractor during planting.
3. Compare the accuracy of the automatically generated
transplant geoposition map with surveyed transplant
locations under standard conditions (straight rows on level
ground with recommended hitch settings) and more challenging
conditions (curved row planting patterns, and loose
hitch settings).