Cotton picking bot
From Superinnovators 29/12/23 Indian company Green Robot Machinery has developed a cotton picking bot capable of harvesting 50kg of cotton per day. Each picking arm has a stereo camera that detects cotton balls within 3mm precision and a gripper and vacuum mechanism removes the ball. The first bot was unveiled on YouTube in 2018, with […]
AI estimates rice yields from crop images
From Okayama University 24/08/23 With the rise in global demand for staple crop products projected to substantially increase by 2050 due to population growth, rising per capita income, and the growing use of biofuels, it is necessary to adopt sustainable agricultural intensification practices in existing croplands to meet this demand. However, estimation processes currently employed […]
‘Planting’ rocks in farms could help remove carbon from atmosphere
From American Geophysical Union 17/08/23 Farmers around the world could help the planet reach a key carbon removal goal set by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) by mixing crushed volcanic rocks into their fields, a new study reports. The study also highlights wet, warm tropics as the most promising locations for this climate […]
Hunting down moth pests with drones
By SOCIETY FOR EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY 07/07/2023 Researchers have been testing real-life Batman-style gadgets to eradicate moth pests from greenhouses, including bat-inspired flying drones that hunt down and destroy moths – but new research reveals that the noise from drones can alter moth flight behaviour. “The idea of using drones as an alternative solution to eliminating […]
Grain Weevil bot wins innovation award
By Superinnovators 04/07/2023 In the heartland of America’s grain storage country, a revolution is underway. The Grain Weevil, an advanced grain bin safety and management robot, is transforming the way farmers interact with their grain bins. Born out of a challenge to create a robot that would eliminate the need for farmers to enter grain […]
Home brew algae: sustainable superfood
By Charles Carter, 26/10/22 British startup Canopi has developed a kitchen top system called Bloom for brewing your own spirulina algae superfood at home to boost freshness and reduce food miles emissions. Spirulina is rich in protein and nutrients and has been eaten by humans as far back as the Aztecs. Mass production ramped up […]
Six-armed apple harvester
By Charles Carter, 25/09/22 Innovators at US startup advanced.farm are developing an automated apple harvester that uses computer vision and suction cups to pick almost 30 pieces of fruit a minute. They are transferring technology from their more established robotic strawberry picker to solve apple harvesting challenges, through a $460k 3-year R&D grant from the […]