Robot centipede clears weeds as skillfully as a farmer

Built based on a centipede simulation, this low-cost robot can crawl through rough terrain, pulling out weeds without crushing crops.

Inspired by the long, slender, serpentine creatures found in nature, Ground Control Robotics (GCR), an Atlanta-based startup, has developed a robotic centipede specifically designed for harsh agricultural terrain. Photo: @Ground Control Robotics.

According to Ground Control Robotics (GCR), the initial focus is on automating weed control and crop monitoring on perennial farms, where traditional machinery has difficulty. Photo: @merrillwildblueberries.

Manual weeding of such fields can be costly and labor intensive, and labor shortages are making it increasingly difficult. Photo: @Ground Control Robotics.

On the other hand, according to GCR, there is currently no automated solution for weed control around densely planted, climbing plants like blueberries, strawberries or grapes. So, the company believes that their robotic centipedes could be a revolutionary alternative. Photo: @Ground Control Robotics.

Designed simply, this robotic centipede includes a head equipped with extremely advanced operating, exploration, and observation sensors. Photo: @Ground Control Robotics.

Next are several identical body segments connected by cables. Each body segment has metal legs, which are integrated with small motors that allow the body segments with legs to move in coordination and synchronization. Photo: @Ground Control Robotics.

“By carefully coordinating the raising and lowering of its legs, the robot centipede can maintain stable movement, weaving through different terrain environments,” Daniel Goldman, director of the CRAB Lab at the Georgia Institute of Technology, explained to IEEE Spectrum. Photo: @Ground Control Robotics.

“We want to get the robot centipede as close to the fields as possible. And we don’t want a big, bulky machine that destroys the fields,” Goldman said. Photo: @Ground Control Robotics.

GCR also predicts that its robotic centipedes will be significantly more affordable than conventional agricultural robots, with an expected cost in the range of just a few thousand dollars. Photo: @Ground Control Robotics.

In the initial testing phase, this robotic centipede will focus on reconnaissance and surveillance missions. Photo: @Ground Control Robotics.

GCR will then equip the centipede robot with active weed removal mechanisms, which could include specialized grippers or even laser-based weed removal solutions. Photo: @Ground Control Robotics.

Ground Control Robotics is currently working with a blueberry grower and a vineyard owner in Georgia to conduct pilot programs. These tests will help refine the robots' navigation and sensor-based control capabilities before they are widely deployed to the market. Photo: @Ground Control Robotics.

Dear Readers, please watch the video : Creepy With A Robot That Looks So Realistically Like A Human - "Usurping" Humanity In The Future? Video source: @Top 1 Discovery.

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