Software frameworks for rural AI robotics

Abstract

Robotic Autonomous robotic systems intended for agricultural environments must operate under conditions of unreliable connectivity, limited infrastructure, and high environmental variability. These constraints present significant challenges for system architecture, communication design, and human– robot interaction. This thesis investigates these challenges through the design, analysis, and evaluation of Nicobot, a mobile agricultural research platform developed to explore software frameworks for rural AI robotics. The research focuses on how system architecture, user interface design, and communication mechanisms influence the feasibility of autonomous operation in rural and low-connectivity settings. Architectural analysis reveals that, despite the presence of edge computing components and multiple communication technologies, decision-making and fault recovery remain heavily dependent on human operators. The system therefore operates under a supervisory autonomy model, where the robot supports controlled behaviour but does not independently interpret sensor data or adapt to connectivity degradation. Evaluation of the user interface shows that technical data exposure, limited feedback, and reliance on user interpretation reduce usability for non-technical agricultural users. Communication analysis further demonstrates that multiple channels alone do not guarantee robustness unless they are integrated with adaptive system behaviour. The findings highlight that autonomy in rural agricultural robotics cannot be achieved through the addition of technological components alone. Instead, autonomy emerges from deliberate architectural allocation of responsibility, clear separation of control roles, and interface designs that support transparency and reduced cognitive load. This thesis contributes design-oriented insights for future rural robotic systems, emphasising contextual independence, supervisory interaction, architectural coherence, and simplicity as guiding principles for practical agricultural autonomy.