Introducing our new UI improvements for all Path Planners. These new features are designed to enhance your path planning experience while making it easier to designcreate your perfect path.
In this article we take a deep dive into each new feature released, and explore how you can use edge selection on your fields.
Selectable Edge User Interface
The most powerful change that we have made is to the path planner user interface. Once a user has chosen path plan parameters, and have landed on the results page they will be presented with a bold new map feature and interaction. This is the new selectable edge feature. The selectable edge user interface is the brain child of our brilliant developers as they provide a solution to make it easy and intuitive to precisely align a path plan heading to an edge. Simply providing a the heading was not enough. We wanted to create a simple interaction that clearly displayed, and allowed for interaction with your digital field. Thus, the new selectable edge user interface was born.
Map Interaction
Path Planners will notice that along edges of their field boundaries that there are are portions of the boundary marked in red. Upon further inspection users will come to see that each of these edge indications correspond to a straight edge feature of the boundary. This is because our algorithm assesses the geometry of the field part and identifies straight edges candidates that are then presented to the user.
The selected edge is easily identified because it is noticeably thicker and brighter than the other selectable edges. Along with being pronouncedly different than other edge candidates (sent fragment). The selected edge can be distinguished by the circular, white anchor nodes on either end of the line segment. than other edge candidates. The selected edge can be distinguished by the circular, white anchor nodes on either end of the line segment.
Changing the currently selected edge is as simple as clicking on another selectable edge of your field.
While users are interacting with the map they will notice a hover interaction when moussing over a selectable edge candidate. When the cursor is hovered over a selectable edge candidate, the user will be presented with a exaggeratedly long, white dashed line. This line represents the line of best fit for the selectable edge. It is the precise heading of this line of best fit that will be used to generate straight tracks. long, white dashed line. This line represents the line of best fit for the selectable edge. It is the precise heading of this line of best fit that will be used to generate straight tracks.
Auto Translation of Inner Tracks
Precision headings are great, but its only part of the story of a path plan. This is why we have introduced automatic track translation to our solution. In agtech terms, we take the entirety of the inner track solution and translate it along the x-axis to a point that minimizes the excess wasted space, biased towards the selected edge. In grower terms, well, we shift the inner tracks to a point where it minimizes the overlap between the headland and first straight track.
For step-by-step instructions in using selectable edge headings on your path plans see our knowledge base article:
Selectable Edge Headings
Selectable Edge Headings
Custom Heading Panel
Complimentary to the addition of selectable edges we are releasing the ability to add precise custom headings to your path plan.
Users will notice a new radio button on the path planner interface page. Once activated, this will open the custom heading panel that allows users to enter headings with up to four decimal place precision.
In addition to adding precision headings, users are able to use the degree offset feature to quickly adjust headings accordingly.
Inner Track Propagation Swap
Even the most powerful algorithms and computational model have their limitations. We at Verge are not immune to this. For a long time we have heard feedback that our algorithm, although innovative and novel, does not quite match what users want from a path plan. In an effort to say "We hear you!", we have exposed a new feature; line propagation swap.
The easiest explanation of what this is that behind the scenes our algorithm chooses a side from which to propagate tracks. Lets call these left or right. We thought we would be smart, and only show the path plan that equates to the lowest number of tracks. Makes sense right? Less tracks, less turns, less time wasted in the field, less fuel burned, more time with the family, the list goes on. Turns out, not always. What happens when left or right produces the same number of tracks? What happens when you have a square field, and you want your first track to be on the other side of the field? Although we try to put our best foot forward and give users a strong starting point sometimes its just not what they want to do. So this is why we have enabled the ability for a user to force the propagation of inner tracks from the other direction.
Do to other features talked about earlier in the article, such as auto-translation and aligning to an edge, this feature is only present on integer headings. Those that do not have decimals (0*,90*,45*, etc).
The easiest explanation of what this is that behind the scenes our algorithm chooses a side from which to propagate tracks. Lets call these left or right. We thought we would be smart, and only show the path plan that equates to the lowest number of tracks. Makes sense right? Less tracks, less turns, less time wasted in the field, less fuel burned, more time with the family, the list goes on. Turns out, not always. What happens when left or right produces the same number of tracks? What happens when you have a square field, and you want your first track to be on the other side of the field? Although we try to put our best foot forward and give users a strong starting point sometimes its just not what they want to do. So this is why we have enabled the ability for a user to force the propagation of inner tracks from the other direction.
Do to other features talked about earlier in the article, such as auto-translation and aligning to an edge, this feature is only present on integer headings. Those that do not have decimals (0*,90*,45*, etc).
New features available now. Login to try them yourself on your fields!