Carnegie Mellon University reported on 9 August 2024 that researchers working with Iowa State University had developed a robot platform for inserting nitrate sensors into corn stalks. The objective was to support monitoring of plant nutrient levels.
The reported system used a neural network to choose a suitable stalk and a custom gripper to align the sensor before insertion. CMU described a deployment at Curtiss Farm in Ames, Iowa, during July 2023, and said the platform dimensions could be adjusted for different row spacing and crop heights.
The announcement also identified navigation improvements and a revised gripper as ongoing work. This distinguishes demonstrated sensing operations from the broader challenge of running a complete, reliable monitoring mission across a field.
