應用雷射雕刻法於蜜蜂進出巢活動之影像監測系統

Abstract

蜜蜂對於人類作物之授粉影響深遠，而傳統上，對於蜂群狀態的評估都來自人工對於蜜蜂進出狀態的評估。本研究目的在於開發一套蜜蜂進出巢活動的影像監測系統，並在盡量不影響蜜蜂行為的前提下，進行監測、紀錄與分析蜜蜂進出巢的相關資訊。為了減少標記對蜜蜂的影響，同時發展出雷射雕刻的標記方法。 在雷射標記法方面，本研究中設計固定蜜蜂的雕刻架，標記的流程為採集蜜蜂、蜜蜂固定、初步清理、塗膠、塗顏料、雷射雕刻、塗指甲油，此標記方式一次可標記5 隻。標記時間約為每小時10 隻，成功率為49.1%。在影像監測系統的硬體部分，主體是使用深色不透明壓克力作為支撐，並使用黑色壓克力製作燈罩搭配工業級CCD 攝影機及紅外線投光器來取得均勻穩定光源的影像，並增加設計S 型通道來限制蜜蜂行走以增加系統的穩定性。 在影像監測系統的演算法部分，使用Qt 做為主要開發軟體。標記的偵測是使用前景與背景相互比較的原理，利用其標記上的L型來進行標籤對位，並利用二元編碼系統，利用基本影像處理進行辨識。目前的影像辨識系統，在標記良好的前提下，整體標籤偵測率為99.1 %，整體辨識率為73.4 %。而應用時，本系統須加裝於蜂箱出入口處，利用通道來限制蜜蜂的移動路徑，藉此監測蜜蜂進出巢的活動。

Honeybees are beneficial for agriculture and food supply. Traditionally, the hive status evaluation is conducted by labor observation of in-and-out activity, which is not only time-consuming but also labor-intensive. The objective of this research is to construct an imaging system for monitoring honeybee in-and-out activity. The system is utilized to record, monitor and analyze the in-and-out activity. In order to minimize the influence of monitoring and labeling on honeybee, a genuine laser labeling method has been proposed and implemented. In order to carry out the laser labeling process, a fixation device was designed to prepare honeybees for laser engraving. The labeling process includes seven steps: honeybee collection, honeybee immobilization, initial cleaning, glue coating, paint coating, laser engraving and varnish coating. In each labeling round, five honeybees are laser engraved at once. The labeling efficiency is about 10 honeybees per hour with a success rate of 49.1%. The hardware of imaging system was mainly constructed by a black acrylic shell. Inside the acrylic shell, there are one transparent channel panel for confining honeybees’ movements, a uniform IR light source system with IR projectors and a camera. The software of imaging system was developed in Qt. The label is detected by background and foreground subtraction, and is orientated by the L-shape line identification. The individual label is recognized by a simple comparison with the oriented image. The label detection rate is 99.1%, and the label recognition rate is 73.4%. The system is designed to be attached to the entrance of the beehive to confine the movement of honeybees through the channels constructed, in the honeybee in-and-out activity monitoring applications. The in-and-out activity can be long-term monitored by this system, which including the daily patterns and daily in-and-out frequencies. The analysis of in-and-out activities can be utilized in evaluating the condition of beehives.