Phenotyping Robotic Platform

Specifications for a Robotic Platform Quantity: 1 Background: The Forage and Range Research (FRR) Laboratory is seeking to enhance current high throughput phenotyping (HTP) capabilities that allow scientists and support personnel to minimize the amount of time that is spent collecting plant trait measurements across large experimental fields. A proximal sensing robotic platform that can a.) conduct autonomous missions and b.) collect images and other environmental sensors datasets will greatly improve the ability to build HTP models of diverse plant traits for forage and turf grasses. The vendor shall provide a rugged robotic platform capable of conducting autonomous missions over experimental fields. This platform must be able to carry and digitally interact with a suite of payloads / sensors that can collect different data (i.e. regular Red Green Blue (RGB) and multispectral imagery) streams. Below is a list of specifications that must be met or exceed. Minimum Required Specifications: 1. Modular and rugged robotic platform that can traverse large experimental (mostly over bare earth and grass and forbs) fields with varied topography. 2. Up to eight (8) hours of runtime with low maintenance required. 3. Capable of conducting autonomous navigation over predefined routes and able to detect and avoid obstacles. 4. Able to carry and integrate different payloads (sensors, global positioning systems GPS). The integration must be done with a central processing unit or brain that facilitates the communication between the robot and the sensors through an application programming interface API with enough ports to connect at least the following configuration: RGB cameras, Light Detection and Range LIDAR, GPS units, thermal and relative humidity sensors. 5. Capable of carrying up to 700 pounds and towing up to 1000 pounds with a hitch. 6. Ability to collect data streams over rows with usual widths of 1.5 to 2.0 meters but the robotic platform must be modular in nature so that the width and height can be customized for different types of grasses and forbs as well as varied topographical conditions. 7. Ability to sustain speeds up to 5 miles per hour. -- 1 of 2 -- 8. Safety features must include brakes and stop buttons directly accessible on the robotic platform as well as traction and stability controls. A light beacon that quickly communicates to users that the robot is in operation is highly desirable. 9. The central processing unit or brain of this platform must facilitate the synchronization of the different data streams timestamps so that the post- processing can be accelerated. The brain must be able to deploy light deep learning models in the future as the robotic unit may implement live high throughput phenotyping tasks in the near future. 10. The ground clearance must be adjustable with a minimum of 2 feet (~50 cm) to clear turf grasses and certain forage grasses. 11. Cost of shipping should be included in the quote. Place of Delivery: USDA/ARS/FRR 700 N 1100 E Logan, UT 84322 Delivery Schedule: 60 days ARO -- 2 of 2 --