Submitted by GonjaNinja420 t3_ybtjvn in technology
kubigjay t1_itj2gnf wrote
Reply to comment by welpHereWeGoo in This new farming robot uses lasers to kill 200,000 weeds per hour by GonjaNinja420
Unfortunately the equipment is a sunk cost. So farmers won't want to switch until the old equipment wears off.
The big problem for a farmer is that it only kills what is up. There isn't any lasting protection.
Black_Moons t1_itjvwc9 wrote
>The big problem for a farmer is that it only kills what is up. There isn't any lasting protection.
that is why you just have it work 24/7/365.
gizamo t1_itjwumv wrote
To prevent any weed damage to crops, you'd probably only need it a few times throughout the spring, summer, and fall.
Black_Moons t1_itk2lbl wrote
Yep, so you have 1 tiny robot that spends 24/7 scanning acres, it will complete a full scan every week to month.
gizamo t1_itk2vyt wrote
I think it moves faster than you're assuming. Tbf, I saw similar machines ~6 years ago, and they moved much faster than I thought they would.
Black_Moons t1_itmg85y wrote
Ok, but farmer fields are also bigger then your assuming.
Think of the biggest yard you have ever seen... that is a tiny hobby farm. Industrial farming is done at insane scale.
gizamo t1_itmmr7y wrote
I programmed automation systems for farm equipment that accounts for the precise sizes of industrial farms. So, I think I have some idea. However, that was a long time ago. Perhaps farms have grown, idk. ¯\(ツ)/¯
domagojk t1_itk96a3 wrote
/u/kubigjay has a point, laser only kills what is above ground and it is well known that weeds root also damages the crops.
Timlang60 t1_itlrvum wrote
If there's no green stuff above ground to collect energy, the roots won't develop/survive.
domagojk t1_itmlcqz wrote
That is not correct. If any root pieces are left underground they will eventually grow new plants. You should be pulling the whole sprouts out to basically starve the weeds. Or, obviously, use chemicals to stop them from growing.
Timlang60 t1_itmzd8c wrote
Sure, filling the roots is ideal. But if you keep cutting off the above ground parts - namely the leaves - and depriving it of energy and respiration, the roots will die.
Fast_Garlic_5639 t1_itklxgx wrote
Expand on that, though- if we combine that new roach laser with this weed laser I think we'll be much better off as a species
[deleted] t1_itj32yz wrote
[removed]
Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments