3 November 2017
The robots automatically could identify weeds in a field and combat them with a short laser pulse. Sustainable agriculture, which avoids the use of herbicides as far as possible, could benefit from this smart idea. Dr. Julio Pastrana and Tim Wigbels from the Institute of Geodesy and Geoinformation at the University of Bonn are convinced of this. The computer scientists in the Photogrammetry Laboratory at the Institute for Geodesy and Geoinformation in Bonn are currently developing a novel system: using cameras on an all-terrain robot vehicle or even a tractor add-on, unwanted wild weeds should be automatically identified in the various crops and combatted in a targeted way.
“The robot shoots the leaves of the unwanted plants with short laser pulses, which causes a weakening in their vitality,” reports Dr. Pastrana. “It is thus predicted that we will no longer need to use herbicides on our fields and the environment will be protected,” adds Wigbels. “The idea combines innovative robots with a current sustainability topic,” says Rüdiger Wolf from Technology Transfer at the University of Bonn. The analyses of the market and competition for such an application are sound, he says. Pastrana is convinced of the benefits of the laser-based technique for new agricultural machinery: “Our aim is to contribute to achieving more sustainable agriculture.”
Robot automatically identifies weeds
Those who want a rich harvest need to drive back weeds so that the crops can grow better. In organic agriculture, herbicides are ruled out as they are considered toxic chemicals, and unwanted plants must be laboriously weeded out. This time-consuming work can soon be taken care of by robots.
 Photo: Volker Lannert/Uni BonnTim Wigbels (left) and Dr. Julio Pastrana with their weed recognition software which is detecting a plant and how the laser system is shooting and damage its foliage. |
“The robot shoots the leaves of the unwanted plants with short laser pulses, which causes a weakening in their vitality,” reports Dr. Pastrana. “It is thus predicted that we will no longer need to use herbicides on our fields and the environment will be protected,” adds Wigbels. “The idea combines innovative robots with a current sustainability topic,” says Rüdiger Wolf from Technology Transfer at the University of Bonn. The analyses of the market and competition for such an application are sound, he says. Pastrana is convinced of the benefits of the laser-based technique for new agricultural machinery: “Our aim is to contribute to achieving more sustainable agriculture.”
More news about "Agritechnica":
12 November 2023
Big Data meets Machine Learning
From the Internet of Things, over cloud solutions and Big Data to mobile apps: advancing digitalization enables services and solutions for the off-highway markets to be designed more individually, more consistently and more transparently. (more…)10 November 2019
For modern agricultural and construction machines, the requirements regarding reliability, flexibility and ease of operation are demanding. From 10 to 16 November, Systems & Components in Hanover focuses on the opportunities for off-highway markets using 3D printing. (more…)28 October 2016
Katariina Rohrbach heads Services division
Katariina Rohrbach (45) was named Senior Vice President of the newly established Services division at the Deutsche Messe group of companies, the trade fair organizer announced. (more…)
| FAIR NAVIGATOR | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| E-PAPER AGRITECHNICA |
 |