Imagine a robot that rides on a tractor and uses powerful lasers to get rid of weeds in fields. This is exactly what Carbon Robotics has created with its LaserWeeder device. Instead of using chemicals to kill weeds, this high tech tool spots weeds and zaps them with lasers. The machine uses advanced artificial intelligence powered by dozens of graphics cards from Nvidia. Each new version of the device gets smarter by analyzing millions of images of weeds taken from the fields.
Farmers can attach LaserWeeder to their tractors. As the tractor moves, the device scans the ground using cameras. It finds weeds quickly and burns them away with pinpoint accuracy. This process can eliminate up to ten thousand weeds every minute. All of this happens without the need for harmful chemicals, making it more friendly for the environment.
The information gathered by LaserWeeder not only kills current weeds but also helps improve the robot's ability to spot weeds in the future. This is because the images collected are used to train new versions of the software, making the robot more accurate over time.
The company is also working on a self driving tractor called the Carbon AutoTractor. This machine can work on its own but also lets a person take over if needed. Innovations like these are important because many crops do not get picked due to a lack of workers. By using smart robots, farms can become more efficient and less dependent on chemicals and manual labor.
Since 2018, Carbon Robotics has deployed over one hundred and fifty LaserWeeders and these machines have destroyed more than thirty billion weeds so far. This shows how artificial intelligence and robotics are transforming the way farmers grow our food.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/theres-no-such-thing-as-a-laser-resistant-weed-says-company-employing-dozens-of-nvidia-gpus-to-fry-weeds-with-lasers-from-above/
