The Autonomous Weeder, an autonomous agricultural robot that uses lasers to destroy 100,000 weeds per hour
A major issue in growing crops is the cost of weed removal. Weeds must be removed because they can rob crops of nutrients and increase the risk of pests, but chemical herbicides can also damage crops. To address this issue, a robot called 'The Autonomous Weeder' was developed that uses AI to pinpoint weeds and irradiate them with a carbon dioxide laser to autonomously remove weeds without damaging the soil or crops.
Carbon Robotics Disrupts Farming Industry with Autonomous Weeders | Business Wire
Farming Robot Kills 100,000 Weeds Per Hour With Lasers | Freethink
https://www.freethink.com/articles/farming-robot
The full picture of The Autonomous Weeder can be seen in the following movie.
The Autonomous Weeder - Eliminates Weeds with Lasers - YouTube
Weeds are a big problem for farmers, as hiring people to remove them is costly, and using chemical herbicides can damage crops and the soil. Farmers are also faced with a labor shortage.
The Autonomous Weeder is an autonomous robot that solves this problem.
The Autonomous Weeder identifies weeds and removes them by pinpointing them with a carbon dioxide laser. In the image below, you can see that the laser is being emitted from the bottom of the vehicle.
The Autonomous Weeder is equipped with cameras that show the front, rear and direct below of the vehicle, making it possible to check the situation remotely.
In particular, 12 cameras are installed directly beneath the vehicle, which scan the ground and allow the onboard computer equipped with AI to identify weeds.
The video also captured the weeds burning after the laser was applied.
Since it does not require human power, it can be used during the day or at night.
The Autonomous Weeder can remove more than 100,000 weeds per hour, and the area that can be worked on in a day is about 15 to 20 acres (about 61,000 to 81,000 square meters). In addition, the area that a human can weed in a day is about 4000 square meters.
After completing one row, it automatically turns around in a safe place and moves on to the next row.
The Autonomous Weeder allows for chemical-free weed control and is certified 'organic' by the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA).
Pricing for The Autonomous Weeder has not been disclosed, but it is available for lease. However, the 2021 model has already sold out, and pre-orders are being accepted for the 2022 model.
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