title: Workspace analysis of Cartesian robot system for kiwifruit harvesting

authors: Au, Chi Kit

subjects: Science & Technology

abstract: Purpose – This paper aims to investigate if a Cartesian robot system for kiwifruit harvesting works more effectively and efficiently than an articulated robot system. The robot is a key component in agricultural automation. For instance, multiple robot arm system has been developed for kiwifruit harvesting recently because of the significant labor shortage issue. The industrial robots for factory automation usually have articulated configuration which is suitable for the tasks in the manufacturing and production environment. However, this articulated configuration may not fit for agricultural application due to the large outdoor environment.
Design/methodology/approach – The kiwifruit harvesting tasks are completed step by step so that the robot workspace covers the canopy completely. A two-arm, Cartesian kiwifruit harvesting robot system and several field experiments are developed for the investigation. The harvest cycle time of the Cartesian robot system is compared to that of an articulated robot system. The difference is analyzed based on the workspace geometries of these two robot configurations.
Findings – It is found that the kiwifruit harvesting productivity is increased by using a multiple robot system with Cartesian configuration owing to its regular workspace geometry.
Originality/value – An articulated robot is a common configuration for manufacturing because of its simple structure and the relatively static factory environment. Most of the agricultural robotics research studies use single articulated robot for their implementation. This paper pinpoints how the workspace of a multiple robot system affects the harvest cycle time for kiwifruit harvesting in a pergola style kiwifruit orchard.

text: Workspace analysis of Cartesian robot system for kiwifruit harvesting Purpose – This paper aims to investigate if a Cartesian robot system for kiwifruit harvesting works more effectively and efficiently than an articulated robot system. The robot is a key component in agricultural automation. For instance, multiple robot arm system has been developed for kiwifruit harvesting recently because of the significant labor shortage issue. The industrial robots for factory automation usually have articulated configuration which is suitable for the tasks in the manufacturing and production environment. However, this articulated configuration may not fit for agricultural application due to the large outdoor environment.
Design/methodology/approach – The kiwifruit harvesting tasks are completed step by step so that the robot workspace covers the canopy completely. A two-arm, Cartesian kiwifruit harvesting robot system and several field experiments are developed for the investigation. The harvest cycle time of the Cartesian robot system is compared to that of an articulated robot system. The difference is analyzed based on the workspace geometries of these two robot configurations.
Findings – It is found that the kiwifruit harvesting productivity is increased by using a multiple robot system with Cartesian configuration owing to its regular workspace geometry.
Originality/value – An articulated robot is a common configuration for manufacturing because of its simple structure and the relatively static factory environment. Most of the agricultural robotics research studies use single articulated robot for their implementation. This paper pinpoints how the workspace of a multiple robot system affects the harvest cycle time for kiwifruit harvesting in a pergola style kiwifruit orchard.

year: 2020

title: Metallacyclic platinum(II) bis(sulfonamides)

authors: Evans, Cameron

subjects: Platinum(II) complexes

abstract: A series of metallacyclic platinum(II) bis(sulfonamido) complexes have been synthesised by reaction of cis-[PtCl₂L₂] [L_PPh₃or L₂_1,5-cyclo-octadiene (cod)] with the sulfonamides [RSO₂NHCH₂CH₂NHSO₂R, RSO₂NHCH₂CHMeNHSO₂R or RSO₂NHC₆H₄NHSO₂R; R_Ph or p-C₆H₄Me] and Ag₂O. The products have been characterised by NMR spectroscopy, electrospray mass spectrometry, elemental analysis, and for the complexes [Pt{N(SO₂Ph)CH₂CH₂N(SO₂Ph)}(PPh₃)₂] and [Pt{N(SO₂Ph)C₆H₄N(SO₂Ph)}(cod)], by single-crystal X-ray structure determinations. In both of these complexes, one of the amido nitrogen atoms has the expected approximately planar geometry, but the other nitrogen atom is surprisingly distorted towards a tetrahedral geometry. The more pyramidal nitrogen has a higher trans-influence in the solid state, reflected by a shorter Pt_N bond, and longer cyclo-octadiene Pt_C bond length trans to this nitrogen.

text: Metallacyclic platinum(II) bis(sulfonamides) A series of metallacyclic platinum(II) bis(sulfonamido) complexes have been synthesised by reaction of cis-[PtCl₂L₂] [L_PPh₃or L₂_1,5-cyclo-octadiene (cod)] with the sulfonamides [RSO₂NHCH₂CH₂NHSO₂R, RSO₂NHCH₂CHMeNHSO₂R or RSO₂NHC₆H₄NHSO₂R; R_Ph or p-C₆H₄Me] and Ag₂O. The products have been characterised by NMR spectroscopy, electrospray mass spectrometry, elemental analysis, and for the complexes [Pt{N(SO₂Ph)CH₂CH₂N(SO₂Ph)}(PPh₃)₂] and [Pt{N(SO₂Ph)C₆H₄N(SO₂Ph)}(cod)], by single-crystal X-ray structure determinations. In both of these complexes, one of the amido nitrogen atoms has the expected approximately planar geometry, but the other nitrogen atom is surprisingly distorted towards a tetrahedral geometry. The more pyramidal nitrogen has a higher trans-influence in the solid state, reflected by a shorter Pt_N bond, and longer cyclo-octadiene Pt_C bond length trans to this nitrogen.

year: 2001-03-01

title: Students’ Social Interest and University Partnership with Local Indigenous People

authors: Theodorus, Edward

subjects: social interest

abstract: According to Alfred Adler, people will have a meaningful life if they contribute to the realisation of an ideal cooperating community. The psychological process of “contributing” is captured in the Adlerian concept of “social interest.” This study investigates students’ social interest in university partnership with local indigenous people. The partnership between the University of Waikato and local tribes of Tainui is a particular concern of this study, with Kīngitanga Day as the specific phenomenon. Mixed methods–descriptive statistics and thematic analysis–were employed to investigate students’ social interest. Data collection was done in three phases. From data analysis, I found eight primary themes of students’ social interest, namely knowledgeability, significance to self, identification, awareness of community context, gradation of sympathetic concern, willingness, action, and reflection. How the findings relate to the literature on social interest and university-community partnership is discussed. A new model of applied social interest is developed. This thesis ends with elaboration on limitations and recommendations for future research.

text: Students’ Social Interest and University Partnership with Local Indigenous People According to Alfred Adler, people will have a meaningful life if they contribute to the realisation of an ideal cooperating community. The psychological process of “contributing” is captured in the Adlerian concept of “social interest.” This study investigates students’ social interest in university partnership with local indigenous people. The partnership between the University of Waikato and local tribes of Tainui is a particular concern of this study, with Kīngitanga Day as the specific phenomenon. Mixed methods–descriptive statistics and thematic analysis–were employed to investigate students’ social interest. Data collection was done in three phases. From data analysis, I found eight primary themes of students’ social interest, namely knowledgeability, significance to self, identification, awareness of community context, gradation of sympathetic concern, willingness, action, and reflection. How the findings relate to the literature on social interest and university-community partnership is discussed. A new model of applied social interest is developed. This thesis ends with elaboration on limitations and recommendations for future research.

year: 2015