Characterising vibration patterns of winter jujube trees to optimise automated fruit harvesting

Understanding jujube tree dynamic characteristics is crucial for the design and invention of a catch-and-shake machine for fruit harvesting. Currently, the study of vibration characteristics based on the finite element method is the mainstream method for different types of fruit trees. However, limited by the lack of an accurate 3D tree model, there are still gaps between existing simulation analysis and actual tests to explore vibration characteristics. Specifically, the vibration mechanism of winter jujube trees is still unclear in jujube orchards. To address the issue, a multi-view 3D reconstruction technique is employed to acquire precise 3D tree models for simulation analysis. The obtained results from experiments indicate that the determination coefficient R² of the trunks and branches diameter are 0.96 and 0.91 between reconstructed and actual measurement results. Subsequently, material properties of jujube tree are measured to conduct model analysis and harmonic response analysis to find the optimal frequency range (10–20 Hz) in which a considerable vibration response can be obtained at low vibration energies. Moreover, transient analysis and test experiments are conducted to explore the energy transfer properties under different vibration frequency. Results showed that the acceleration response gradually increased from the bottom to the top of the branch on most branches at non-resonant frequencies. The proposed method can provide informative insights on the design of high-efficiency and low-energy jujube catch-and-shake harvesters.