Development of an anti-dust sensor for precise seed flow monitoring and seed type identification

Uniformity, quantity, and quality of sowing are critical determinants of crop establishment, resource efficiency, and overall yield, making them essential to global food security. Disruptions in seed flow during seeding process, caused by hopper depletion, mechanical faults, or tube blockages, can lead to unseeded zones and significant yield loss. To address these challenges, this study introduces a compact infrared seed flow sensor designed to monitor seed flow in real-time, identify seed types, and resist dust interference through integrated hardware and algorithmic enhancements. The sensor comprises seven pairs of 3 mm infrared transmitters and receivers, supported by a beam masking hardware shield and a curved glass cover to reduce optical scattering and minimize dust accumulation. A CAN bus based interface transmits data to an Android application for rapid visualization. Experimental tests were conducted under both laboratory and field conditions using alfalfa, wheat, barley, and chickpea seeds across multiple sowing speeds. Under laboratory conditions, the sensor achieved average counting accuracies of 99.0%, 98.6%, 98.3%, and 99.1% for alfalfa, wheat, barley, and chickpea seeds, respectively. Furthermore, seed type identification accuracy reached 100% for alfalfa, wheat, and chickpea, and 99.2% for barley. Field tests with wheat seeds confirmed the sensor’s resistance to dust, with no signs of blockage or performance degradation. The measured seeding rate fully matched with the calibrated target rate, demonstrating the sensor’s accuracy and reliability under real cultivation conditions.