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BenchBot App Programmed settings table
Semi-Field Potting Area Dimensions | Semi-Field Physical Pot Layout | BB App Programmed Settings | camera settings | Notes | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Site | Width | length | Num Pots Per Row | Number of Rows | On Center pot spacing | Programmed Number of Rows | Pots Per Row | Pot Spacing | Row spacing | X-axis starting | Z-axis height | Height of lens over pot surface | aperture | flash power | focus | |
NC | 15 | 43 | 40 | +58cm | 170cm | 13-15 | 1/1 | 21 | updated 12/04/2024 | |||||||
NC | 7.0m | 33.5m | 15 | 50 | 1.5 ft | 15 | 15 | 43 cm | 43 cm | 58 cm | 1.7 m | updated 11/12/2024 | ||||
MD (BARC) | 6.1m | 39.0m | 80 | 11 | 45cm | 30cm | 40 cm | Updated 10/19/2024 | ||||||||
NCSU | 7.0m | 33.5m | 79 | 8 | 53 cm | 38 cm | ||||||||||
NCSU Test 1 7/9/24 | 7.0m | 33.5m | 40 | 19 | 39 | 25 | Start with 3cm offset from home on X axis. Failed reconstruction, however significant improvement. Amiga not removed from FOV | |||||||||
NCSU Test 2 7/11/24 | 40 | 17 | 39 | 25 | Start with 54cm offset Amiga should not appear in pics | |||||||||||
NCSU 7/15/24 to Present | Variable | 15 | 45 cm | 30 cm | Start with 73cm offset Amiga should not appear in pics (but will if the camera is tilted). | |||||||||||
NCSU 10/30/24 | 15 | 21 | 46cm | 25 | 15 | 46 cm | 46 cm | this is the start of the collection season. this is the first setting to try | ||||||||
TX | ||||||||||||||||
5. Begin the Batch
Start BBot collection via the “run” button on the “Traversal” tab
Stick around for at least the first two rows to ensure everything is working properly. If the BBot is not rolling forward after a row, then the auto button on the Amiga interface is likely in the wrong state (the joystick light should be blue or orange, not white).
Move the color checker, once it will no longer be in anymore images, to a new spot ahead of the BBot. I personally put it at the start of every species. It is good to have the color checker in a batch several times, as lighting conditions do change throughout the day.
Every now and then, when BBot reaches the ends of a row, check these outermost photos to make sure the pot is fully in the frame and no Amiga is in frame. If either of these happened, then your camera may not be parallel to the ground, or you may need to adjust BBot’s position with the joystick.
Depending on site, you may have to replace the flash battery every once and a while.
At MD, our BBot does not charge the flash as it goes along, so the battery is not gaining any charge. I find that the Battery lasts about 2.5 species normally, so I like to change it out at the end of the second species and the end of the fourth species. Make sure to pause the BBot traversal before doing so, and also when you slip the new battery in, turn the flash on. The flash does not automatically turn on (even if it was still on when your removed the old battery), so you will have to manually turn it on again. Always have your flash batteries charging in case you are ready at any moment.
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power cable to the camera
flash camera from the camera (camera to flash)
data ethernet cable from the camera to the box
torubleshootingTroubleshooting
check that cable are securely in place (unplug and re-plug)
flash to camera cable
data cable
power cable (make sure to properly turn off the bbot before removing power cable)
check that the mini computer is and camera are communicating
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Examples of Plant Spacing and Non-Target Weeds
Non-target weeds
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Plant spacing
Avoid overlapping plants. Thin plants when they do overlap. Be liberal when thinning plants. We don’t need to worry about having enough plants. It’s more important to have no overlap than it is to have more plants per plot.
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