Every weed growing on a farm takes away nutrients from the food humans are trying to grow and eat. Weeds are a significant pain for farmers: They are not only expensive to control but are also able to develop resistance to herbicides, meaning that farmers may resort to using more powerful chemicals on crops just to kill the unwanted, wild plants.
That’s why Carbon Robotics has developed an autonomous system that uses lasers to kill weeds, all without spraying potentially dangerous chemicals on crops or damaging the soil. The method can help farmers boost crop yields and can make costs more predictable, not to mention save resources on weed control.
The Seattle-based company proposes that its LaserWeeder system is just a first glimpse of how artificial intelligence will revolutionize agriculture.