Agriculture Robotics and Intelligence Certificate

James Uphaus, PhD, Chair
Phone: (419) 995-8207
Email: uphaus.j@rhodesstate.edu
Office: JJC 179M

The Agriculture Robotics and Intelligence certificate provides students with the technical skills to support a career in this emerging field.  Courses in this certificate integrate agricultural applications to existing Rhodes State College courses of fluid power, electricity and electronics, programmable logic controllers and robotics and mechanatronics.  Courses in precision agriculture equipment and introduction to artificial intelligence in agriculture apply industrial robotic concepts towards applications in crop management and integrated pest management.  Agricultural robotic technology is increasing in soil sampling, stored grain quality maintenance, and controlled environment agriculture.  Local and technical expertise outside of the Rhodes State College supporting region was sought to develop this curriculum so that it would provide training in the anticipated growth area.  The courses utilize team learning and individual internships to integrate local and global information towards earning Fanuc Robot Certification.  Robotic applications are demonstrated through hands on learning and problem solving exercises. 

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completion, the student will be able to:

  1. Understand the development, transmission and utilization of power through fluid power circuits and controlling fluid power devices and related equipment.
  2. Explain the various elements of basic electricity including the identification of electrical symbols as well as interpretation of schematics, cross referencing prints, tracing circuits, interpreting sequential function charts, line drawings and time charts to concentrate on control logic components.
  3. Apply Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) and elements needed for an automated industrial control system with program structures, language standards, wiring and troubleshooting methods, as well as, real world communications.
  4. Utilize robotics in regard to industrial robotic safety standards, to agriculture applications of robots including maintenance and recovery procedures.
  5. Explain electric, pneumatic, hydraulic equipment control from precision agriculture equipment and field based data.
  6. Apply field based data to robotic decision and control in agricultural applications.

Technical Standards
See here for details.