Soil pH is a key parameter that directly influences crop health and productivity, as well as the soil's ability to support plant life. However, measuring this parameter can often be an arduous and laborious task due to spatial and temporal variations and the need for repeated sampling. In addition, conventional sample collection and laboratory analysis techniques are costly, time-consuming, and environmentally damaging. This paper presents the design and implementation of an innovative ground robot to measure the pH level in barley cropland. The robot has an adapted pH measurement system, which is complemented by an autonomous navigation system and a real-time data processing system. This system consists of a robust and accurate pH electrode capable of penetrating diverse types of soil and accurately measuring its acidity or alkalinity. Results from field tests indicate that the robot can manage a wide variety of soils and climatic conditions, and the pH measurements obtained correlate closely with those obtained by traditional methods. This study proposes the adoption of ground robots for pH level measurement.

Extracting local resources from excavated lunar regolith will help support a sustainable presence on the Moon. For example, water ice beneath the lunar permanently shadowed region can be processed into liquid oxygen/hydrogen propellant. The availability of space acquired propellant could dramatically decrease the cost of Earth to space transportation. To address this need, this work proposes an autonomously controlled robot with trilateration-based localization for optimized excavation of lunar regolith. A proof-of-concept design for an autonomous lunar mining rover is presented. The autonomous rover is capable of traveling to known dig sites, excavating lunar regolith/water ice simulant, and transporting the lunar regolith/water ice simulant back to a collection sieve, without the need for user input. The work included phases for requirements and planning, conceptual design, detailed design, and testing for performance validation. Contributions of the proposed design include an autonomously controlled rover for excavation of lunar regolith, with design optimization to maximize the amount of successfully deposited material. The proposed design offers an optimal balance between opposing cost functions and design constraints for reducing the size and weight of the rover, while maximizing the operational performance of the rover for mining, transit, and depositing.