Sounds like a bad 80s scifi film but this is a real product that uses AI and lasers to destroy weeds.
You can probably get something like this on a smaller scale with an autonomous drone that has plant/pest recognition technology and also a laser. Looks like plant height is a factor so could always grow 3foot tall hindu kush plants and have this thing run over them day and night and have a perfect crop.
On the one hand it’s a great replacement for herbicides.
On the other hand industrial farming is destroying the soil and turning it into a desert, unless they use covercrops inbetween cashcrops so that they add soil rather than deplete it.
Agreed. Not to mention, there may even be more collateral damage to microbes and fungi compared with chemical treatments. You can see it toasting the soil under the weed… it’s a neat idea. But looking at that giant sandbox of bare dirt is depressing.
Seems like it would be an issue in low humidity areas also.
Fertile soil, essential for our survival, just drying up and blowing away with the wind…
Same happened during the great depression, farmers not knowing how to farm sustainably.
The only way we’ll prevent another great depression is by making permaculture and regenerative farming obligatory. This requires education and perhaps subsidies for cover crop seeds in the beginning.
It’s wise for every farmer to keep small plots of land just for harvesting seeds instead of buying them from suppliers who have grown them elsewhere.
This way the genetics adjust to your own climate and location ensuring great strength of the crops through natural selection.
This again ensures preservation of diversity as every farmer will have their own unique genetic lines.
Thinking in terms of generations rather than money goes a long way.
It’s about our kids and grand kids and their kids… and if we do reincarnate then it’s nice to reincarnate onto a planet that is taken care of wisely.
Putting potential weapons on bots gives me pause but this thing looks like it has some utility.
It doesn’t look like it burns the soil based on the video it just zaps the weed.
And they make a good point about decreased herbicide use.
Didn’t quite understand the LED part but that’s ok.
Anyway, I want one and will reprogram it to take out jerks on the subway.
Ah yes, the grandfather of SkyNet.
First we practice extinction systems on tiny life, then start to eradicate worst infestation Earth has on it’s self, humans.
I think the LEDs are so that it can accurately image the soil and any potential weeds? I didn’t get that either. If they can do it without zapping the microbiology in the soil it has potential but this is the part that had me taking pause
One on the subway, and one on the roads for all the assholes who try to kill me when I’m biking
