Heliaphen is an autonomous robot for agricultural research entirely designed by Optimalog.
The robot is responsible for weighing and irrigating several hundred pots on a dedicated platform. It is also equipped with various instruments, such as cameras and light barriers for profile measurement.
The robot is powered by a battery that it comes to recharge regularly. Navigation is provided by a Sick NAV350. On-board intelligence is provided by a B&R PLC. It is supplemented by an application on a fixed PC running under Optima PLC, communicating via Wifi, and responsible for trajectory calculation, photo and data storage, plant management, cycles, etc.
An original trajectory calculation algorithm designed by Optimalog makes it possible to optimize all movements, and allows complex movements in an environment with limited space: the robot is thus capable of automatically performing maneuvers combining forward and reverse.