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Design and Fabrication of an Ergonomically Optimized Electric Auger Walk-Behind Tiller
Published by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, St. Joseph, Michigan www.asabe.org
Citation: 2026 ASABE Annual International Meeting 2600550.(doi:10.13031/aim.202600550)Authors: Felix Michael Oguche, Jianfeng Zhou, Dr., Karen Funkenbusch, Marcia Shannon, Dr., Noel Aloysius, Dr., Teng Teeh Lim, Dr., Aaron Yoder, Dr., Timothy Reinbott
Keywords: agricultural ergonomics, electric tiller, auger tiller, vibration reduction, walk-behind machinery, smallholder mechanization
Abstract. Walk-behind tillers are widely used in small-scale agriculture and gardening but frequently expose operators to substantial ergonomic stressors including hand-arm vibration, unstable machine behavior, repetitive force application, awkward posture, and elevated physical workload. These exposures are associated with operator fatigue, reduced controllability, and increased risk of musculoskeletal disorders, particularly among women farmers, aging agricultural workers, and smallholder operators. Although electric tillers have emerged as lower-noise and lower-emission alternatives to gasoline-powered systems, many commercially available designs still rely on conventional tine-driven mechanisms that generate repeated impact loading and unstable soil engagement. The objective of this study was to design, fabricate, and evaluate an ergonomically optimized electric auger walk-behind tiller intended to reduce operator exposure while maintaining effective soil cultivation performance. The developed prototype incorporated a triangular conical auger arrangement, a tricycle-based mobility layout, an automated depth-adjustment linkage, and a rear stabilization system with dual disc plates. The tiller further integrated a 36 V electric propulsion architecture, dual-battery automatic switching system, Arduino-based embedded control unit, ultrasonic obstacle-detection sensors, vibration-monitoring capability, and IoT-enabled operational feedback. Structural and soil-engagement behavior of the auger system were additionally evaluated using finite element modeling under representative soil-loading conditions. Preliminary evaluation demonstrated smoother soil engagement, improved directional stability, reduced impulsive loading, and lower predicted stress concentration in the conical auger system relative to conventional auger geometries. Finite element analysis showed reduced von-Mises stress, lower deformation, and improved factors of safety for the conical auger configuration. The integrated smart-control architecture further improved controllability, operational monitoring, and user safety. This study contributes to the development of human-centered agricultural mechanization systems by integrating ergonomic design principles, alternative soil-engagement mechanics, embedded sensing, and intelligent control into a compact walk-behind tiller platform. The findings demonstrate the potential of auger-based electric tillers as safer and more accessible mechanization solutions for sustainable smallholder agriculture.
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