Carbon Robotics, a Seattle-based company specializing in the design of AI-powered robotics, developed the LaserWeeder G2, an industry-leading method of weed control technology that can be installed on tractors and employs AI deep learning, computer vision, robotics, and lasers. With sub-millimeter precision, the LaserWeeder G2 uses these tools to identify weeds among crops, eliminating them with lasers, thereby reducing the need for excessive pesticide and herbicide use and cutting costs for farmers.
The LaserWeeder uses cameras to locate plants and deep learning models that differentiate crops from weeds. High-precision cameras then identify the meristem, or the growth point, to employ 240-watt diode lasers to eliminate each weed.
The LaserWeeder G2 product line ranges from the LaserWeeder G2 200, the smallest and lightest unit designed for smaller farms with mobility ideal for moving between fields, to the LaserWeeder G2 1200, a large-scale 40-foot unit ideal for organic corn and soybean farms.
Echoing Carbon Robotics’ mission of enhancing productivity, improving safety, and elevating the quality of life for people, the company worked closely with real farmers from food producers such as Gills Onions, Gemüsebau Großhans, and Planète Végétal to develop and refine the LaserWeeder technology. Amidst tightening farm regulations and labor shortages, the LaserWeeder G2 lowers input costs by reducing the need for pesticides and herbicides. This helps boost crop yields by preserving moisture retention in soil and promoting a healthy soil microbiome to encourage the growth of disease-resistant plants. The automation of the LaserWeeder also requires less manpower, reducing the need for hand-weeding in areas that were previously not accessible by machines.
The LaserWeeder uses cameras to locate plants and deep learning models that differentiate crops from weeds. High-precision cameras then identify the meristem, or the growth point, to employ 240-watt diode lasers to eliminate each weed.
The LaserWeeder G2 product line ranges from the LaserWeeder G2 200, the smallest and lightest unit designed for smaller farms with mobility ideal for moving between fields, to the LaserWeeder G2 1200, a large-scale 40-foot unit ideal for organic corn and soybean farms.
Echoing Carbon Robotics’ mission of enhancing productivity, improving safety, and elevating the quality of life for people, the company worked closely with real farmers from food producers such as Gills Onions, Gemüsebau Großhans, and Planète Végétal to develop and refine the LaserWeeder technology. Amidst tightening farm regulations and labor shortages, the LaserWeeder G2 lowers input costs by reducing the need for pesticides and herbicides. This helps boost crop yields by preserving moisture retention in soil and promoting a healthy soil microbiome to encourage the growth of disease-resistant plants. The automation of the LaserWeeder also requires less manpower, reducing the need for hand-weeding in areas that were previously not accessible by machines.
