Agribot Eats Sun, Smites Weeds
Writing by Evan Ackerman on Thursday, 29 of May , 2008 at 12:01 am
This robot, designed by University of Illinois engineering student Lei Tian, doesn’t seem to have a name. So I’m going to give it one: weedbot. Weedbot is the ultimate in solar powered weed destruction machines. GPS guided and totally autonomous, weedbot uses stereo cameras to locate and identify weeds for extermination based on image characteristics stored in an 80gb onboard database. If a weed is found, weedbot not only chops it down, he also applies herbicide to the spot ensuring that the weed will not rise again. You know, like cutting the head off a zombie. Or something. Weedbot is 2 feet tall, 5 feet long, and can travel about 3 miles an hour on wheels or little tank treads. Since he applies herbicide so precisely, weedbot is much cheaper and more environmentally friendly than typical agricultural weed management techniques that involve spraying an entire field.
Weedbot is currently confined to experimental fields at the University of Illinois, but I’m hoping he breaks out and finds his way over to my back yard.
[ U. Illinois ] VIA [ Robot Living ]
Category: Eco-Friendly, Research, Industrial
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Comment by jack*
Made Thursday, 29 of May , 2008 at 2:52 am
It’s weird — that’s almost exactly like a project I’ve been mulling over for the past few weeks. Solar powered lawn care robot. Who knew it was such a popular idea?