Long He, Ph.D.

Long He, Ph.D.

  • Assistant Professor of Agricultural and Biological Engineering
Fruit Research and Extension Center
Musselman Building Room 223

Biglerville, PA 17037

Areas of Expertise

  • Mechanization and Automation for Specialty Crops
  • Robotic Solutions for Agricultural Applications
  • Precision Agriculture
  • Electro-Hydraulic Control System

Education

  • PhD, Mechatronics Engineering, Yanshan University (YSU), China, 01/2010
  • BS, Mechanical Engineering, Yanshan University (YSU), China, 07/2003

Dr. Long He is a Assistant Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, and physically located at the Fruit Research and Extension Center at Biglerville. He received his Ph.D. degree on Mechatronic Engineering at Yanshan University in China. Before joining Penn State, Dr. He worked as Postdoc Research Associate/Research Engineering at Washington State University and University of California at Davis. Dr. He's research interest is agricultural machinery and automation, including mechanical harvesting technologies for tree fruit crops, robotic solutions for agricultural application, and sensor application in agriculture.

Research Topics and Projects

1. Robotic Crop Load Management

     Goal: Develop robotic solutions for improved tree fruit yield and quality

  • Green fruit removal dynamics and robotic green fruit thinning system (USDA-AFRI, 2020-2023, PI)
  • Precision crop load management for apples (USDA-SCRI, Led by Cornell, 2020-2024, PI for PSU)
  • Advancing robotic approaches to pollination for improved yield and quality in fruit crops (USDA-AMS, Specialty Crop Multi-State, Led by WSU, 2020-2023, PI for PSU)
  • CPS: Medium: Integrated design of sensing, networks, and cooperative control of multi-vehicle systems for preventing frost and freeze damage to flowers and buds of fruit trees. National Science Foundation. (NSF/USDA, 2019-2022, Co-PI)
  • Targeted blossom/green fruit thinning with variable rate sprayer (State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania (SHAP), 2020-2021, PI)

2. Precision Application for Specialty Crops

      Goal: Develop sensor-based systems for reducing agricultural inputs and costs

  • An intelligent spraying system for tree fruit crops pest management: technology enhancement, evaluation, and outreach. (USDA-NIFA, 2019-2021, PI) 
  • Precision and automated pest/disease management for tree fruit crops. (Penn State SNIP Grant, 2018-2019, PI) 
  • Sensor-based precision irrigation system for tree fruit and vegetable crops. (USDA Northeast SARE, 2019-2022, PI) 
  • A sensor-based irrigation test system for apple orchards. (SHAP, 2018-2020, PI)
  • Crop Heath Scouting and Identification for Fruit Orchards using UAVs (SHAP, 2020-2021, PI)

3. Robotic Solutions for Specialty Crops

     Goal: Develop robotic/mechanical systems for specialty crop productions

  • Robotic pruning system development for fruit trees (USDA-SARE Graduate, Penn State Sunday Grant, 2019-2021, PI)
  • Development of a computer vision and a robotic end-effector for automated harvesting of Pennsylvania mushroom. (Giorgi Funds for Mushroom Research, 2018-2020, Co-PI) 
  • Branch and fruit accessibility for mechanical operations with various tree canopies. (SHAP, 2019-2021, PI) 

4. Mechanization for Specialty Crops (focus on Extension)

     Goal: Mechanization and commercialization

  • A harvest-assist system for tree fruit growers: performance analysis, workforce development, and product enhancement. (Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, 2019-2022, PI) 

Patents

  • Zhang, Q., L. He, H. J. Charvet. 2013. Knot-tying device and method. U.S. Patent. US 8,573,656 B1
  • Vougioukas, S., D. Slaughter, D. Sadowski, L. He, A. Durand-Petiteville. 2015/2020. Automated strawberry orientating and capping machine. International Patent No. WO/2017/019775 A1 (2015); U.S. Patent. US 10,729,167 (2020). 

Publications

Canopy protection cyber-physical system (CPCPS) for smart agricultural management of frost damage in apple orchards
Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Hua, Weiyun, Heinemann, Paul Heinz, He, Long, 2024

Detection and infected area segmentation of apple fire blight using image processing and deep transfer learning for site-specific management
Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Mahmud, Md Sultan, He, Long, Zahid, Azlan, Heinemann, Paul, Choi, Daeun, Krawczyk, Grzegorz, Zhu, Heping, 2023

Green fruit segmentation and orientation estimation for robotic green fruit thinning of apples
Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Hussain, Magni, He, Long, Schupp, James Rawlinson, Lyons, David, Heinemann, Paul, 2023

Studies in precision crop load management of apple
Acta Horticulturae, Robinson, T. L., Gonzalez, L., Cheng, L., Ziang, Y., Peck, G., Arnoldson, B., Gomez, M., Guerra, M., Sazo, Mario Miranda, Kahlke, C., Einhorn, T., Wallis, A., Musacchi, S., Serra, S., Lewis, K., Schmidt, T., Heinemann, P., He, L., Kon, T., Sherif, S., Clements, J., Layer, C., 2023

Design of end-effectors for apple robotic thinning in the green fruit stage, Pawikhum, Kittiphum, Heinemann, Paul, He, Long, Sommer, Henry, Bock, Randall, 2023

UAV Photogrammetry-Based Apple Orchard Blossom Density Estimation and Mapping
Horticulturae, Yuan, Wenan, Hua, Weiyun, Heinemann, Paul Heinz, He, Long, 2023

CFD SIMULATION OF POROUS CANOPY HEAT TRANSFER IN APPLE ORCHARD-BASED FROST PROTECTION
Journal of the ASABE, Hua, Weiyun, Heinemann, Paul, He, Long, Yuan, Wenan, 2023

Smart Irrigation in Orchards, Gohil, Hemantkumar, He, Long, 2023

AN ADVANCED ROBOTIC SYSTEM FOR PRECISION CHEMICAL THINNING OF APPLE BLOSSOMS
Journal of the ASABE, Mu, Xinyang, Hussain, Magni, He, Long, Heinemann, Paul, Schupp, James, Karkee, Manoj, Zhu, Minghui, 2023

Mask R-CNN based apple flower detection and king flower identification for precision pollination
Smart Agricultural Technology, Mu, Xinyang, He, Long, Heinemann, Paul, Schupp, James, Karkee, Manoj, 2022

Remote sensing detection algorithm for apple fire blight based on UAV multispectral image
Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Xiao, Deqin, Pan, Yongqi, Feng, Jianzhao, Yin, Jianjun, Liu, Youfu, He, Long, 2022

An Apple Tree Branch Pruning Analysis
HortTechnology, Zahid, Azlan, Mahmud, Md S, He, Long, Schupp, James, Choi, Daeun, Heinemann, Paul, 2022

LoRaWAN based internet of things (IoT) system for precision irrigation in plasticulture fresh-market tomato
Smart Agricultural Technology, Zhang, Haozhe, He, Long, Heinemann, Paul, Di Gioia, Francesco, Di Gioia, F, Choi, D, Heinemann, Paul, Choi, daeun, Elia, Antonio, Elia, Antonio, Heinemann, P, 2022

Robotic tree fruit harvesting: status, challenges, and prosperities, He, Long, Zahid, Azlan, Mahmud, Md Sultan, 2022

Variable rate Technologies for Precision Agriculture, He, Long, 2022

DEVELOPMENT OF AN AUTOMATIC AIRFLOW CONTROL SYSTEM FOR PRECISION SPRAYERS BASED ON TREE CANOPY DENSITY
Journal of the ASABE, Mahmud, Md Sultan, Zahid, Azlan, He, Long, Zhu, Heping, Choi, Daeun, Heinemann, Paul, Krawczy, Grzegorz, Choi, Daeun, Krawczyk, Grzegorz, Heinemann, Paul, 2022

Sensitivity examination of YOLOv4 regarding test image distortion and training dataset attribute for apple flower bud classification
International Joural of Remote Sensing, Yuan, Wenan, Choi, D, Bolkas, Dimitrios, Heinemann, Paul Heinz, He, Long, 2022

Green Fruit Removal Dynamics for Development of Robotic Green Fruit Thinning End-Effector
Journal of the ASABE, Hussain, Magni, He, Long, Schupp, James, Heinemann, Paul, Heinemann, Paul, Schupp, James, 2022

Unmanned aerial vehicle based tree canopy characteristics measurement for precision spray applications
Smart Agricultural Technology, Mahmud, Md Sultan, He, Long, Choi, Daeun, Zhu, Heping, Choi, Daeun, Heinemann, Paul, Zhu, Heping, 2022

On-tree apple fruit size estimation using stereo vision with deep learning-based occlusion handling
Biosystems Engineering, Mirbod, Omeed, Choi, Daeun, He, L, Heinemann, Paul, Heinemann, Paul, He, Long, Marini, Richard P., Marini, Richard, 2022

Harvest-assist platforms for apple growers
Penn State Extension, He, Long, Weber, Daniel, 2022

Spray based on canopy density can reduce chemical usage and drift
Penn State Exension, He, Long, Peter, Kari, Weber, Daniel, 2022

LiDAR-sensed tree canopy correction in uneven terrain conditions using a sensor fusion approach for precision sprayers
Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Sultan Mahmud, Md, Zahid, Azlan, He, Long, Choi, Daeun, Krawczyk, Grzegorz, Zhu, Heping, 2021

Technological advancements towards developing a robotic pruner for apple trees: A review
Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Zahid, Azlan, Mahmud, Md Sultan, He, Long, Heinemann, Paul, Choi, Daeun, Schupp, James, 2021

Introduction of automatic irrigation systems for tree fruit orchards, He, Long, 2021

Unmanned aerial vehicle-based crop scouting in fruit trees, He, Long, Shannon, Tyler, Mahmud, Md Sultan, 2021

Overcurrent-driven LEDs for consistent image colour and brightness in agricultural machine vision applications
Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Mirbod, Omeed, Choi, Daeun, Thomas, Roderick, He, Long, 2021

Development of a machine vision active lighting source using overcurrent-driven LEDs for constant colour and brightness in agricultural field images
Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Mirbod, Omeed, Choi, Daeun, Thomas, Roderick, He, Long, 2021

Picking dynamic analysis for robotic harvesting of Agaricus bisporus mushrooms
Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Huang, Mingsen, He, Long, Choi, Daeun, Pecchia, John, Li, Yaoming, 2021

Opportunities and possibilities of developing an advanced precision spraying system for tree fruits
Sensors, Mahmud, Md Sultan, Zahid, Azlan, He, Long, Martin, Phillip, 2021

Development of a LiDAR-guided section-based tree canopy density measurement system for precision spray applications
Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Sultan Mahmud, Md, Zahid, Azlan, He, Long, Choi, Daeun, Krawczyk, Grzegorz, Zhu, Heping, Heinemann, Paul, 2021

Development of a robotic harvesting mechanism for button mushrooms
Transactions of the ASABE, Huang, Mingsen, Jiang, Xiaohu, He, Long, Choi, Daeun, Pecchia, John, Li, Yaoming, 2021

Internet of things (IoT)-based precision irrigation with LoRAWAN technology applied to vegetable production
ASABE, Zhang, Haozhe, He, L, Di Gioia, Francesco, Choi, Daeun Dana, Heinemann, Paul Heinz, 2021

Investigation of computer vision system and robotic picking mechanism for mushroom harvesting.
Mushroom News, He, L, Choi, D, Pecchia, John, 2021

Investigation of branch accessibility with a robotic pruner for pruning apple trees
Transactions of the ASABE, Zahid, Azlan, He, Long, Choi, Daeun, Schupp, James, Heinemann, Paul, 2021

In-field apple size and location tracking using machine vision to assist fruit thinning and harvest decision-making, Mirbod, Omeed, Choi, Daeun, He, L, Heinemann, Paul, He, Long, Heinemann, P, Marini, R, Schupp, James, 2021

Correction of LiDAR-sensed tree canopy in uneven terrain conditions using a sensor fusion approach for precision sprayers
Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Mahmud, Md Sultan, Zahid, Azlan, He, Long, Choi, Daeun, Krawczyk, Grzegorz, Zhu, Heping, 2021

Mask R-CNN based king flowers identification for precise apple pollination
Smart Agricultural Technology, Mu, Xinyang, He, Long, Heinemann, Paul, Schupp, James, Karkee, Manoj, 2021

Development of an integrated 3R end-effector with a cartesian manipulator for pruning apple trees
Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Zahid, Azlan, Mahmud, Md, He, Long, Choi, Daeun, Schupp, James, Heinemann, Paul, Heinemann, Paul, Schupp, James, 2020

Determination of key canopy parameters for mass mechanical apple harvesting using supervised machine learning and principal component analysis (PCA)
Biosystems Engineering, Zhang, Xin, He, Long, Zhang, Jing, Whiting, Matthew D., Karkee, Manoj, Zhang, Qin, 2020

Development of a robotic end-effector for apple tree pruning
Transactions of the ASABE, Zahid, Azlan, He, L., Zeng, Lihua, Choi, D., Schupp, J., Heinemann, P., 2020

Bruise patterns of fresh market apples caused by fruit-to-fruit impact
Agronomy, Fu, Han, Karkee, Manoj, He, Long, Duan, Jieli, Li, Jun, Zhang, Qin, 2020

Field evaluation of targeted shake-and-catch harvesting technologies for fresh market apple
Transactions of the ASABE, Zhang, Xin, He, Long, Karkee, Manoj, Whiting, Matthew David, Zhang, Qin, 2020

Drip irrigation and sensor-based precision irrigation, He, Long, 2020

Internet of Things (IoT)-based precision irrigation with LoRaWAN technology applied to high tunnel vegetable production
ASABE Annual International Meeting, Zhang, Haozhe, He, Long, Di Gioia, Francesco, Choi, Daeun Dana, Heinemann, Paul, 2020

Collision free path planning of a robotic manipulator for pruning apple trees, Zahid, Azlan, He, Long, Choi, Daeun Dana, Schupp, James, Heinemann, Paul, 2020

Hand-picking dynamic analysis for robotic agaricus mushroom harvesting, Huang, Mingsen, Jiang, Xiaohu, He, Long, Choi, Daeun, Pecchia, John, 2020

Monitoring soil moisture level for precision irrigation in apple orchards, He, Long, Weber, Daniel, 2019

Specialty crop innovations: intelligent spraying systems, He, Long, Weber, Daniel, 2019

Effect of shaking location and duration on mechanical harvesting of fresh market apples
Applied Engineering in Agriculture, He, Long, Zhang, Xin, Ye, Yunxiang, Karkee, Manoj, Zhang, Qin, 2019

Development of a robotic end effector for apple tree pruning, Zahid, Azlan, He, Long, Zeng, Lihua, 2019

Development of a robotic end effector for apple tree pruning, Zahid, Azlan, He, Long, Zeng, Lihua, 2019

Effect of Shaking Amplitude and Capturing Height on Mechanical Harvesting of Fresh Market Apples
IFAC-PapersOnLine, Fu, Han, Duan, Jieli, Karkee, Manoj, He, Long, Xia, Hongmei, Li, Jun, Zhang, Qin, 2019

Drip irrigation for tree fruit orchards in Pennsylvania, He, Long, 2019

Development of a mushroom harvesting assistance system using computer vision, Lee, Cheng, Choi, Daeun, Pecchia, John, He, Long, Heinemann, Paul, 2019

Branch detection for apple trees trained in fruiting wall architecture using depth features and Regions-Convolutional Neural Network (R-CNN)
Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Zhang, Jing, He, Long, Karkee, Manoj, Zhang, Qin, Zhang, Xin, Gao, Zongmei, 2018

Introduction of an intelligent spray system to PA growers
Fruit Times, He, Long, Weber, Daniel, 2018

Orchard manoeuvring strategy for a robotic bin-handling machine
Biosystems Engineering, Ye, Yunxiang, He, Long, Wang, Zhaodong, Jones, Dylan, Hollinger, Geoffrey A., Taylor, Matthew E., Zhang, Qin, 2018

Orchard automation - Engineering opportunities for fruit growers, He, Long, Baugher, Tara, 2018

Priorities for Penn State Fruit Research and Extension Center Engineering Investigations, He, Long, Baugher, Tara, 2018

Engineering opportunities for Pennsylvania tree fruit growers
PA Fruit News, He, Long, 2018

Signature of quantum Griffiths singularity state in a layered quasi-one-dimensional superconductor
Nature Communications, Zhang, E., Zhi, J., Zou, Y.-C., Ye, Z., Ai, L., Shi, J., Huang, C., Liu, S., Lin, Z., Zheng, X., Kang, N., Xu, H., Wang, W., He, L., Zou, J., Liu, J., Mao, Z., Xiu, F., 2018

A precision pruning strategy for improving efficiency of vibratory mechanical harvesting of apples
Transactions of the ASABE, Zhang, X., He, L., Majeed, Y., Whiting, M. D., Karkee, M., Zhang, Q., 2018

Fruit accessibility for mechanical harvesting of fresh market apples, He, Long, Zhang, Xin, Karkee, Manoj, Zhang, Qin, 2018

Evaluation of a Leveling System for a Weeding Robot under Field Condition
6th IFAC Conference on Bio-Robotics BIOROBOTICS 2018: Beijing, China, 13-15 July 2018, Chen, Lin, Karkee, Manoj, He, Long, Wei, Yunlong, Zhang, Qin, 2018

Field Evaluation of Data-based Pruning Severity Levels (PSL) on Mechanical Harvesting of Apples
6th IFAC Conference on Bio-Robotics BIOROBOTICS 2018: Beijing, China, 13-15 July 2018, Zhang, Xin, Fu, Longsheng, Majeed, Yaqoob, He, Long, Karkee, Manoj, Whiting, Matthew D., Zhang, Qin, 2018

Quantifying fruit quality affected by mechanical impact for selected apple varieties
6th IFAC Conference on Bio-Robotics BIOROBOTICS 2018: Beijing, China, 13-15 July 2018, Fu, Han, Duan, Jieli, Karkee, Manoj, He, Long, Chen, Du, Sun, Daozong, Zhang, Qin, 2018

Sensing and automation in pruning of apple trees: A review
Agronomy, He, Long, Schupp, James, 2018

Bin-dog: A robotic platform for bin management in orchards
Robotics, Ye, Yunxiang, Wang, Zhaodong, Jones, Dylan, He, Long, Taylor, Matthew E., Hollinger, Geoffrey A., Zhang, Qin, 2017

Effect of fruit location on apple detachment with mechanical shaking
Biosystems Engineering, He, Long, Fu, Han, Karkee, Manoj, Zhang, Qin, 2017

Evaluation of a localized shake-and-catch harvesting system for fresh market apples
Agricultural Engineering International: CIGR Journal, He, Long, Fu, Han, Xia, Hongmei, Manoj, Karkee, Zhang, Qin, Whiting, Matthew, 2017

Shake-And-catch harvesting for fresh market apples in trellis-Trained trees
Transactions of the ASABE, He, L., Fu, H., Sun, D., Karkee, M., Zhang, Q., 2017

'Jazz' apple impact bruise responses to different cushioning materials
Transactions of the ASABE, Fu, H., He, L., Ma, S., Karkee, M., Chen, D., Zhang, Q., Wang, S., 2017

A study of the influence of pruning strategy effect on vibrational harvesting of apples, Zhang, X., He, L., Majeed, Y., Karkee, M., Whiting, M. D., Zhang, Q., 2017

Field evaluation of a mechanical-assist cherry harvesting system
Engineering in Agriculture, Environment and Food, Zhou, Jianfeng, He, Long, Whiting, Matthew, Amatya, Suraj, Larbi, Peter A., Karkee, Manoj, Zhang, Qin, 2016

Orchard worker localisation relative to a vehicle using radio ranging and trilateration
Biosystems Engineering, Vougioukas, Stavros G., He, Long, Arikapudi, Rajkishan, 2016

Analysis of shaking-induced cherry fruit motion and damage
Biosystems Engineering, Zhou, Jianfeng, He, Long, Karkee, Manoj, Zhang, Qin, 2016

Effect of catching surface and tilt angle on bruise damage of sweet cherry due to mechanical impact
Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Zhou, Jianfeng, He, Long, Karkee, Manoj, Zhang, Qin, 2016

A string twining robot for high trellis hop production
Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, He, Long, Zhou, Jianfeng, Zhang, Qin, Charvet, Henry J., 2016

A string twining robot for high trellis hop production
Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, He, Long, Zhou, Jianfeng, Zhang, Qin, Charvet, Henry, 2016

Impact bruise responses for “Jazz” apple on different materials of catch surface, Fu, Han, He, Long, Ma, Shaochun, Karkee, Manoj, Chen, Du, Zhang, Qin, Wang, Shumao, 2016

Steering Control Strategies for a Four-Wheel-Independent-Steering Bin Managing Robot
IFAC-PapersOnLine, Ye, Yunxiang, He, Long, Zhang, Qin, 2016

Effect of Fruit Location on Apple Detachment with Mechanical Shaking
IFAC-PapersOnLine, He, Long, Fu, Han, Karkee, Manoj, Zhang, Qin, 2016

Bruise Responses of Apple-to-Apple Impact
IFAC-PapersOnLine, Fu, Han, He, Long, Ma, Shaochun, Karkee, Manoj, Chen, Du, Zhang, Qin, Wang, Shumao, 2016

Design and Evaluation of a Levelling System for a Weeding Robot
IFAC-PapersOnLine, Chen, Lin, Kaewkorn, Supod, He, Long, Zhang, Qin, Karkee, Manoj, 2016

A Shake and Catch Harvesting System for 'Jazz' Apples Trained in Vertical Fruiting Wall Architecture, He, Long, Fu, Han, Sun, Daozong, Karkee, Manoj, Zhang, Qin, 2016

Impact bruise responses for "Jazz™ apple on different materials of catch surface, Fu, Han, He, Long, Ma, Shaochun, Karkee, Manoj, Chen, Du, Zhang, Qin, Wang, Shumao, 2016

The energy saving factor research of secondary regulation system of cement coating machine
ICIC Express Letters, Part B: Applications, Kong, Xiangdong, Luo, Hongliang, Ai, Chao, He, Long, Dong, Yanwu, 2015

Evaluation of multipass mechanical harvesting on ‘skeena’ sweet cherries trained to Y-trellis
Hortscience: A Publication of the American Society for Hortcultural Science, He, Long, Zhou, Jianfeng, Zhang, Qin, Karkee, Manoj, 2015

Worker position tracking for safe navigation of autonomous orchard vehicles using active ranging, He, Long, Arikapudi, Rajkishan, Anjom, Farangis Khosro, Vougioukas, Stavros G., 2014