A seeding-depth control system based on structured-light stereo-vision and PID-controlled compaction pressure

• A structured-light stereo vision seeding depth monitoring method was proposed. • A PID control for the downward pressure was designed. • A soil covering and compaction wheel was designed. • A control system for seeding depth adjustment was designed. Precision corn seeding plays a crucial role in modern agriculture, and consistent seeding depth is a key factor in improving seeding quality. Appropriate seeding depth not only promotes seed germination and root development but also influences subsequent plant growth. However, conventional seeding operations typically rely on adjusting the overall downward pressure, making it difficult to precisely control the soil cover amount for each seed and thereby hindering consistent seeding depth. In this study, a novel intelligent soil − covering and compaction device was developed. Furrowing depth and compaction pressure were monitored in real − time using a structured − light binocular camera and a strain gauge, respectively. The soil cover amount and compaction pressure were regulated via a servo motor to ensure seeding depth stability. In addition, a fuzzy PID control system optimized by the Beetle Antennae Search (BAS) algorithm was designed for closed-loop control of compaction pressure. Simulation results indicate that, relative to conventional fuzzy PID control, BAS − PID improves dynamic response. With an acceptance criterion of ± 6 mm for measurement error, the furrowing depth monitoring device achieved a qualification rate of 83.3%. With an acceptance criterion of ± 10 mm for the deviation between post-operation seeding depth and the target depth, the seeding depth qualification rate reached 88%. The coefficient of variation of compaction pressure was 7.49%. Overall, the proposed intelligent soil–covering and compaction device enables accurate furrowing depth monitoring and real-time regulation of soil cover amount and compaction pressure, thereby significantly improving seeding depth consistency.