Researchers in Southwestern Idaho are developing a robotic platform they believe could help crop growers manage their crops and reduce labour costs.
It's called IdaBot, and its job is to do the jobs farmers either spend too much time doing, or do too much of.
"The end goal is to try and save some money for the grower. We’re trying to build a low-cost robot that comes in at a cost point where people can use it without having to take out a loan," said Northwest Nazarene University engineering professor Joshua Griffin.
Additional tasks for the bot is monitoring and harvesting crops, a significant work that is key in increasing the amount on a certain yield.
"Our thought was anything we can do to automate any of those processes would benefit the grower," he said.
'Save money on labour'
It works by using radio frequency identification.
"You can program into the IdaBot, tree number one, tree number five need chemicals." Prof Griffin said.
"Each tree will have a radio frequency identification tag on it. The IdaBot will use the signal from the tag to determine which tree it is next to. When it is next to tree five, it will spray chemicals on tree number five, when it is on tree number one, it will spray chemicals there.
"Our first goal is to have this thing drive down a vineyard, turn around and come back and on its way apply chemicals. Once we’ve done that, then we want to start trying to demonstrate other specific applications."
Prof Griffin points out the robot would help farmers save money on labour and create a much smaller chemical footprint than indiscriminate spraying.
Trial with farmers
Farmhand robots are being developed by researchers around the world.
Herding cattle, checking on crops, towing heavy trailers and manoeuvring around the tough landscape on the farm are skills that developers want robots to take off the shoulders of farmers.
Recently in Australia, SwagBot was another robot introduced by the Australian Centre for Field Robots and the University of Sydney.
"We've done a preliminary trial with farmers; we've done things such as being able to tow trailers, monitor animals from a distance, go through waterways," said Salah Sukkarieh of the University of Sydney, who is leading the trial
"Ultimately we want a robot that can monitor the farm continuously and more importantly look at animal welfare.
"It will measure the temperature of an animal from a distance and be able to measure the walking activity of an animal, to see if something is going on."
"After this we will look at environment interaction such as weeding."
The SwagBot team is currently one year into a three-year project, and will use upcoming field tests to further develop the machine's autonomy.
