At the Institute of Agricultural Engineering at the Volcani Institute, in collaboration with the Neve Yaar Research Center, a fully autonomous robot is being developed to eliminate weeds that grow in fields and compete for resources with crops. In sprawling crops like watermelon and melon, from the sowing stage, it’s impossible to use herbicides, and the only way to get rid of the weeds is through manual weeding, which is a lot of physical labor. Therefore, a creative technological solution is needed.
The robot has a multispectral imaging system distinguishes between weeds and crops in the field. After identifying the weed, the robotic arm touches a high point on the plant with an electrostatic electrode and electrifies it. The electric current breaks the water conduction vessels, preventing the weed from continuing to grow.
Click to watch the robot in action
