The first Chinese robot farmer is a fact
We are now used to factory robots, but the agricultural sector had to do without for a long time. Farms proved too complex. There is now a breakthrough: in the Chinese province of Fujian, a robot farmer is now being developed who can work autonomously in the greenhouses.
The robot is being developed by the Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences and Fujian Newland Era Hi-Tech Co. Ltd. based on broad efforts to create an autonomous farm. The robot in question is white, cute, 5G ready and can move autonomously between the rows of vegetables.
AI
To solve this complex farm environment challenge, a more advanced artificial intelligence system was developed. Computer algorithms for positioning, route selection and the avoidance of obstacles were all optimized. In doing so, the tasks that must be performed by the robot in the future are already taken into account: fertilizing, watering, picking and navigating bumpy roads.
The robot is equipped with two 5 megapixel cameras as the “eyes” and two 7 megapixel cameras as the “ears”. With sensors at the top of the head and mouth, the robot can also detect wind speed, carbon dioxide content, humidity, temperature and other data in the greenhouse.
At the moment, the robot can inspect farms on its own and collect data samples. The robot can determine the health status of plants and decide whether the application of control measures is justified.
Prototype
The robot is still a prototype, on the basis of which the two parties hope to receive further investments. The future is a robot that can pick fruit with a bionic hand.
China is now the world’s largest market for industrial robots. As labor costs continue to rise, the demand for robots will become increasingly stronger. In China, people are struggling with the fact that Chinese wages are rising, which affects the competitive position.