Hi-Tech Weed-Killer

Makarand writes "Instead of making improvements to automatic mechanical weeders, Engineers at UC Davis have been busy developing the next generation robotic weeder which will use computerized images of crop rows to identify weeds and zap them. The system can identify weeds from the regular crop by assessing shape, color, size and other variables from the captured images of the crop row. A robotic cultivator will then blast weeds with a weedkiller using syringes mounted on a tractor. A GPS allows the system to calculate weed type densities within the field and the amounts of chemicals dispensed in the area."

Comments

Wow, what will they think of next...

[fpp]

...a robot that mows the lawn?

Weed killer?

[BortQ]

I'll bet the DEA is super happy about this.

Re:Weed killer?

[SunPin]

Was thinking the same thing... this "drug war" has no scruples.

Robot hall of fame?

[Anonymous Coward]

So does it get a mention in the robot hall of fame?

Crop rows?

[pphrdza]

You've got to have your plants in rows for it to recognize them?

Guess that eliminates my garden...

can you say RUNAWAY

[Archfeld]

how soon till someone hacks a zapper bot and subs a picture of say oh I don't KNOW a COW or Farmer Joe :)

Where's Tom Selleck these days ?

NOOOO!!!

[gik]

Weed killer???
how will i get my buzz???

the ramifications of using this product are way too much for this soul to bear.

time to "get rid" of my weed before someone else does ;)

Evolution

[xMonkey]

You know virtually all systems have bugs in them.

I wonder how long until the weeds find the exploits.

Benchmark

[zaibutsu]

I remember working for a company which was trying to sell computer hardware to an organisation developing a system like this.

The system had a plant recognition benchmark we had to run. It was calibrated in 'cabbages per second'.

it has been sent from the future...

[intermodal]

to protect Sarah Conner's garden from her enemies...

Re:Lo-tech weed killer

[Anonymous Coward]

How can it be "eco friendly" if it kills them? That's like saying being shot in the head improves your brain functions.

Although I suppose you would be getting more oxygen.

Re:MUMMY, PLEASE HELP ME WITH MY MASTURBATION

[nolife]

I believe this will be introduced just after the duplicate story detector.

"High Tech Killer Weed"

[NineNine]

I thought it said "High Tech Killer Weed" at first. I got excited. Finally, a /. topic that's REALLY interesting. I'm so sad. Disappointed, not stoned, and sad.

Best Use

[Sophrosyne]

Program it to rip up all your neighbors flowers and blame it on a 'power surge'.

Killer weed?

[Yebyen]

I can't be the only dyslexic stoner that read the headline as "High-tech Killer Weed"... I got a bit excited for a bit, HEH.

already been done

[maxpublic]

This idea was implemented ages ago, using a device called a "gardener".

No story here.

Re:Eliminate one problem; another will appear!

[Waffle Iron]

The problem is that there will be a class of weed that this thing won't be able to "see"... and that weed will thrive.

Workaround algorithm:

if not CASH_CROPS.match(plant_image): kill(plant)