Waterproof AI Edge Computer Controls Autonomous Tractors
Rugged computers have been used in agriculture since the late 1990s and early 2000s, well before the widespread integration of AI technologies. These early rugged embedded systems were primarily designed to withstand the challenging conditions of agricultural environments—dust, moisture, extreme temperatures, and rough handling, which made them susceptible to continuous shock and vibration—while assisting farmers with tasks like data collection, machinery diagnostics, and GPS-based precision farming.
The integration of artificial intelligence is revolutionising the agricultural industry. AI-powered autonomous machinery and robotics are reshaping the agricultural landscape, offering a level of precision and efficiency previously unattainable. These intelligent embedded systems enable agricultural vehicles, such as tractors, to operate independently, optimizing farming operations while reducing labour demands and ultimately making large-scale agriculture more sustainable and cost-effective.
Integrating artificial intelligence into rugged computers for autonomous tractors demands careful attention to power consumption and heat dissipation. While traditional rugged computers could be housed in enclosures without much concern, edge AI computers with powerful GPUs often require active cooling due to their high power demands. Waterproof enclosures, though effective at shielding systems from external elements, trap heat inside, raising operating temperatures and risking performance throttling or even system failure. The NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin excels in performance-to-power efficiency, making it ideal for AI-driven applications in harsh environments where energy sensitivity is crucial. This system-on-module delivers up to 275 TOPS of AI performance while maintaining a relatively low, adjustable power draw of 15 to 60 watts. With this high level of power efficiency and proper thermal management engineering, the AGX Orin platform can deliver reliable, continuous performance even within compact, sealed waterproof enclosures. This has led to the advance of waterproof AI edge computers pre-configured with key technologies onboard for applications such as smart agriculture.
Key Technologies Advancing Smart Agriculture Onboard Autonomous Vehicles
Supporting a world-leading OEM tractor manufacturer, Things Embedded recommended the NRU-230V-AWP from Neousys to introduce ground-breaking advancements in their autonomous agricultural machinery, redefining traditional farming methods for their customers. The deployment of the NRU-230V-AWP introduced transformative advancements in agricultural practices, extending well beyond traditional methods.
With the NRU-230V-AWP onboard, their autonomous tractors executed precision agriculture tasks with exceptional accuracy. This included soil analysis, crop health monitoring, and efficient resource distribution—all essential for optimizing yields and reducing waste. This ability to process data in real time enabled it to implement adaptive strategies that responded dynamically to environmental changes, ensuring more effective resource management. Safety was also crucial in these newly adopted agricultural operations, and the real-time processing capabilities of the NRU-230V-AWP allowed the autonomous tractors to detect obstacles and take evasive actions, significantly lowering the risk of accidents. By automating routine tasks, the system enhanced operational efficiency, freeing human operators to focus on strategic planning and decision-making.
The NRU-230V-AWP from Neousys integrates key technologies to deliver a rugged, long-life solution for OEM tractor manufacturers. Equipped with advanced AI processing for sensor fusion, rugged I/O interfaces for high-speed data transmission, and a waterproof enclosure, this system handles demanding field applications while enabling autonomous functions such as precision guidance, obstacle detection, and adaptive resource management. Designed to endure harsh agricultural environments, the NRU-230V-AWP combines durability with cutting-edge technology, providing OEMs with a reliable and future-proof solution for modern farming equipment.
Advanced GPU for Complex Algorithm Processing
At the core of the AI edge computer lies NVIDIA's Jetson AGX Orin system-on-module (SOM), renowned for its superior AI processing capabilities. Engineered to handle complex algorithms with it's advanced GPU architecture and high-performance CPU, such as processing images from cameras and sensor inputs, this latest SOM enables the autonomous tractors to navigate and perform tasks autonomously. The advanced AI acceleration capabilities of AGX Orin's GPU supports deep learning models and computer vision applications, both critical for object recognition and decision-making processes in dynamic agricultural environments.
Sensor Fusion from Multiple Sensors
The waterproof edge AI computer enables sensor fusion by integrating high-speed data technologies such as GMSL, PoE, and RTK. The onboard GMSL deserializer manages high-bandwidth video from multiple cameras, while PoE+ powers and connects diverse sensors, such as LiDAR and other environmental sensors, ensuring efficient data transmission. Expandable via mPCIe, the NRU-230V-AWP supports LTE and RTK integration for system communication and centimetre-level GPS accuracy, enabling the system to make real-time, precise decisions essential for autonomous agricultural tasks with capabilities for remote upload/download data transfer.
Waterproof Chassis with Rugged I/O
The IP66-rated waterproof chassis, along with rugged M12 and Amphenol connectors, ensures full protection against dust, rain, and strong water jets, making it ideal for harsh agricultural environments. These industrial-grade connectors provide secure, vibration-resistant connections that withstand shock and vibration, critical for mobile machinery. This rugged design safeguards the edge computer’s internal components, maintaining consistent performance essential for precision farming and uninterrupted data processing in the field.
Ignition Sensing for Optimum Battery Management
The NRU-230V-AWP supports a wide 8V to 48V DC input range, making it compatible with various battery systems onboard tractors. Combined with ignition sensing capabilities, it optimizes energy consumption by detecting the tractor's ignition state, automatically powering the AI edge computer on or off to conserve energy when idle and ensuring safe shutdown. By detecting the autonomous tractor's ignition state, this functionality not only extends the lifespan of the rugged computer but also aligns with sustainable energy practices in agriculture.
IP66 Waterproof and Dustproof AI Edge Computing
“Powered by the NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin SoM and bundled with the latest JetPack SDK, this rugged AI edge computer has provided powerful processing in extreme conditions with no performance throttling. Its IP66-rated, waterproof and dustproof enclosure protects against harsh elements in agriculture, while the eight GMSL2 automotive camera inputs via FAKRA Z connectors enable high-resolution video capture. With four PoE+ GbE and 10GBASE-T via M12 connectors, as well as isolated CAN, RS232, and RS485 ports, the NRU-230V-AWP supports all of the essential tractor sensor and communication systems.” Andrew Whitehouse, CEO at Things Embedded.
NRU-230V-AWP from Neousys
- Powered by NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin SoM bundled with JetPack 5.1.1 / 6.0
- -40°C to 75°C Wide Operating Temperature with no throttling at 50/55°C with MAXN Mode
- IP66 waterproof and dustproof
- Support 8x GMSL2 automotive cameras via FAKRA Z connectors
- 4x PoE+ GbE and 1x 10GBASE-T via M12 X-coded connectors
- 2x isolated CAN 2.0, 1x RS232, and 1x isolated RS485 via M12 A-coded connectors
- 1x system monitoring port by automotive-grade MCU
- 8V to 48V wide-range DC input with built-in ignition power control
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