Toward forest dynamics’ systematic knowledge: concept study of a multi-sensor visually tracked rover including a new insect radar for high-accuracy robotic monitoring

Forest dynamics research is crucial in understanding the global carbon cycle and supporting various scales of forest decision-making, management, and conservation. Recent advancements in robotics and computing can be leveraged to address the need for systematic forest monitoring. We propose a common...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Alexey Noskov, Sebastian Achilles, Joerg Bendix
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2023-08-01
Series:Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2023.1214419/full
_version_ 1797739872689061888
author Alexey Noskov
Sebastian Achilles
Joerg Bendix
author_facet Alexey Noskov
Sebastian Achilles
Joerg Bendix
author_sort Alexey Noskov
collection DOAJ
description Forest dynamics research is crucial in understanding the global carbon cycle and supporting various scales of forest decision-making, management, and conservation. Recent advancements in robotics and computing can be leveraged to address the need for systematic forest monitoring. We propose a common autonomous sensor box platform that enables seamless data integration from multiple sensors synchronized using a time stamp–based mechanism. The platform is designed to be open-source–oriented, ensuring interoperability and interchangeability of components. The sensor box, designed for stationary measurements, and the rover, designed for mobile mapping, are two applications of the proposed platform. The compact autonomous sensor box has a low-range radar that enables high-detail surveillance of nocturnal insects and small species. It can be extended to monitor other aspects, such as vegetation, tree phenology, and forest floor conditions. The multi-sensor visually tracked rover concept also enhances forest monitoring capabilities by enabling complex phenology monitoring. The rover has multiple sensors, including cameras, lidar, radar, and thermal sensors. These sensors operate autonomously and collect data using time stamps, ensuring synchronized data acquisition. The rover concept introduces a novel approach for achieving centimeter-accuracy data management in undercanopy forest conditions. It utilizes a prism attached to the rover, which an oriented robotic total station automatically tracks. This enables precise positioning of the rover and accurate data collection. A dense control network is deployed to ensure an accurate coordinate transfer from reference points to the rover. The demonstrated sample data highlight the effectiveness and high potential of the proposed solutions for systematic forest dynamics monitoring. These solutions offer a comprehensive approach to capturing and analyzing forest data, supporting research and management efforts in understanding and conserving forest ecosystems.
first_indexed 2024-03-12T14:04:26Z
format Article
id doaj.art-11f71eb79f2e4fa897b2bcdd393d115f
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2296-701X
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-12T14:04:26Z
publishDate 2023-08-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
spelling doaj.art-11f71eb79f2e4fa897b2bcdd393d115f2023-08-21T15:42:03ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution2296-701X2023-08-011110.3389/fevo.2023.12144191214419Toward forest dynamics’ systematic knowledge: concept study of a multi-sensor visually tracked rover including a new insect radar for high-accuracy robotic monitoringAlexey NoskovSebastian AchillesJoerg BendixForest dynamics research is crucial in understanding the global carbon cycle and supporting various scales of forest decision-making, management, and conservation. Recent advancements in robotics and computing can be leveraged to address the need for systematic forest monitoring. We propose a common autonomous sensor box platform that enables seamless data integration from multiple sensors synchronized using a time stamp–based mechanism. The platform is designed to be open-source–oriented, ensuring interoperability and interchangeability of components. The sensor box, designed for stationary measurements, and the rover, designed for mobile mapping, are two applications of the proposed platform. The compact autonomous sensor box has a low-range radar that enables high-detail surveillance of nocturnal insects and small species. It can be extended to monitor other aspects, such as vegetation, tree phenology, and forest floor conditions. The multi-sensor visually tracked rover concept also enhances forest monitoring capabilities by enabling complex phenology monitoring. The rover has multiple sensors, including cameras, lidar, radar, and thermal sensors. These sensors operate autonomously and collect data using time stamps, ensuring synchronized data acquisition. The rover concept introduces a novel approach for achieving centimeter-accuracy data management in undercanopy forest conditions. It utilizes a prism attached to the rover, which an oriented robotic total station automatically tracks. This enables precise positioning of the rover and accurate data collection. A dense control network is deployed to ensure an accurate coordinate transfer from reference points to the rover. The demonstrated sample data highlight the effectiveness and high potential of the proposed solutions for systematic forest dynamics monitoring. These solutions offer a comprehensive approach to capturing and analyzing forest data, supporting research and management efforts in understanding and conserving forest ecosystems.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2023.1214419/fullUGVSLAMforest floortotal stationFMCW radarentomology
spellingShingle Alexey Noskov
Sebastian Achilles
Joerg Bendix
Toward forest dynamics’ systematic knowledge: concept study of a multi-sensor visually tracked rover including a new insect radar for high-accuracy robotic monitoring
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
UGV
SLAM
forest floor
total station
FMCW radar
entomology
title Toward forest dynamics’ systematic knowledge: concept study of a multi-sensor visually tracked rover including a new insect radar for high-accuracy robotic monitoring
title_full Toward forest dynamics’ systematic knowledge: concept study of a multi-sensor visually tracked rover including a new insect radar for high-accuracy robotic monitoring
title_fullStr Toward forest dynamics’ systematic knowledge: concept study of a multi-sensor visually tracked rover including a new insect radar for high-accuracy robotic monitoring
title_full_unstemmed Toward forest dynamics’ systematic knowledge: concept study of a multi-sensor visually tracked rover including a new insect radar for high-accuracy robotic monitoring
title_short Toward forest dynamics’ systematic knowledge: concept study of a multi-sensor visually tracked rover including a new insect radar for high-accuracy robotic monitoring
title_sort toward forest dynamics systematic knowledge concept study of a multi sensor visually tracked rover including a new insect radar for high accuracy robotic monitoring
topic UGV
SLAM
forest floor
total station
FMCW radar
entomology
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2023.1214419/full
work_keys_str_mv AT alexeynoskov towardforestdynamicssystematicknowledgeconceptstudyofamultisensorvisuallytrackedroverincludinganewinsectradarforhighaccuracyroboticmonitoring
AT sebastianachilles towardforestdynamicssystematicknowledgeconceptstudyofamultisensorvisuallytrackedroverincludinganewinsectradarforhighaccuracyroboticmonitoring
AT joergbendix towardforestdynamicssystematicknowledgeconceptstudyofamultisensorvisuallytrackedroverincludinganewinsectradarforhighaccuracyroboticmonitoring