Herbicides are chemicals that are used to inhibit or eliminate unwanted plants in agricultural land. Therefore, herbicides are commonly referred to as weed killers. Scientists have revealed that, although the application of herbicides indirectly enhances crop yields, it has many detrimental effects on beneficial microbes present in the soil and human health. Recently, scientists have developed robots to eliminate weeds based on laser technology, which has significantly reduced the use of herbicides.
Image Credit: Fotokostic/Shutterstock.com
It is imperative to reduce the use of herbicides and other chemicals in agricultural fields as they contaminate the groundwater, surface water, and affect non-targeted plants. Recent studies have shown that these chemicals can also cause cancer. Due to the overuse of herbicides, the emergence of herbicide-resistant weeds are prevalent.
Can Robots Kill Weeds?
Yes, modern robots can kill weeds without using any synthetic chemicals. Carbon Robotics is a company that pioneers in the development of agri-robots. The company uses robotics, laser technology, and artificial intelligence to develop high-precision technology that could help farmers increase agricultural produce, while minimizing the use of labor and chemicals. FarmWise is another agri-robot company that is based in San Francisco and specializes in the development of robot weedkillers.
Manufacturers of robot weeders have stated that this machine could significantly reduce the use of chemical pesticides and, therefore, promote sustainable agriculture. This method not only enhances agricultural productivity but also safeguards the health of humans, animals, and other beneficial organisms, which are negatively affected by herbicides.
A UK-based company has developed a spider-shaped weeding robot that is powered by Tesla batteries. Typically, robots operate on batteries, however, lately, some robots are based on renewable energy.
The robot weed killer system can be described as a mobile platform that can remove weeds through the crops in an agricultural field. This system has been created using a high-performance laser source which is commonly used in the medical field.
Development and Working of WeLASER’s Robot Weed Killer
WeLASER is an EU-funded project that focuses on the development of an autonomous intelligent robot with laser vision to remove weeds as its primary function. This is a non-chemical solution to weed management.
The program was launched in October 2020 and is scheduled to end on September 30, 2023.
Scientists associated with this project are in the process of developing a precision scanner so that the laser beam could be targeted to the meristem of the weeds.
A plant’s meristematic tissues are extremely sensitive and their main function is plant growth. Therefore, focusing the laser on these tissues prevents the weed’s growth and spread throughout the agricultural land. In a nutshell, robots destroy weeds using a laser ray or ultraviolet light, which is focused on the plant’s meristem, long enough for it to burn.
In the WeLASER technology, the meristem is located using an intelligent vision system. This system takes images of the weed and with the help of an artificial intelligence vision system, it distinguishes between weeds and important crop plants. Finally, after the identification of weeds in the field, the robot introduces a short laser pulse on each weed’s meristem, causing vitality to weaken and ultimately destroying them.
This project is primarily focused on sugar beet, wheat, and corn. However, researchers are planning to test its application on other crops such as carrots and potatoes.
The robots are approximately three meters long and weigh around 4300 kg. They resemble a small car and move slowly across a field while scanning the field for weeds. Once they identify a weed, a laser is focused for a microsecond on the target weed and it is eliminated.
The robot is mostly silent and can remove 100,000 weeds an hour. According to the WeLASER’s research team, the robot is at least 90% effective in identifying weeds’ meristems and successfully destroying them.
Advantages and Challenges of Robot Weeding
According to Gautham Das, a senior lecturer in agri-robotics at the University of Lincoln, the main advantage of precision weeding is the reduction of herbicide usage by almost 90%, compared with conventional blanket spraying. This technology helps preserve larger as well as smaller farms.
A recent report stated that in the US many farmers growing lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, strawberries, etc., use robot weeders developed by FarmWise. The advancements in batteries (lighter, compact, and greater capacity) have also helped in the increased application of robots in remote fields. These advancements also call for better charging infrastructure in farms.
In case the battery of a robot weeder, while working in a field, gets discharged, instantaneous recharging can be challenging. Therefore, some robots developed by Carbon Robotics and FarmWise include a provision for the use of diesel for power.
Another challenge is that the robot weed killers are extremely expensive and, therefore, small-scale farmers are not able to afford these technologies. Interestingly, FarmWise sells robots’ weeding labor, which means instead of selling the robots they sell the service which makes it more affordable for the farmers.
In organic agriculture, herbicides are not used as they are considered toxic chemicals. Therefore, this technology would be a boon to the farmers associated with organic farming.
References and Future Reading
Bottone,g. (2021) Killing weeds in a sustainable way using a autonomous robot with laser vision. [Online] Available at: https://innovationorigins.com/en/killing-weeds-in-a-sustainable-way-using-a-autonomous-robot-with-laser-vision/
The Guardian. (2021) Ten years ago this was science fiction’: the rise of weedkilling robots. [Online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/aug/14/weedkilling-robots-farming-pesticide-use-sustainable
Universität Bonn. (2017) Combatting weeds with lasers. ScienceDaily. [Online] Available at: www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/06/170607094152.htm
Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the author expressed in their private capacity and do not necessarily represent the views of AZoM.com Limited T/A AZoNetwork the owner and operator of this website. This disclaimer forms part of the Terms and conditions of use of this website.