How does the “goat” work?
The Nexus weeding robot is designed to perform the final stage of weeding in a fully autonomous manner. The robot uses a vision system to detect weeds, after which the articulated arm moves to the location and removes the weed using a mechanical gripper attached to a delta robot. The robot is equipped with** electric DC motors** for each drive wheel and has four steering motors, enabling it to turn on the spot and fine-tune its steering.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppgu1nITJ6c&ab_channel=AcadiaInstituteforDataAnalytics
The shade skirt at the bottom provides consistent illumination for the vision system’s cameras. This fully automated device provides precision weeding, a task typically done by human workers.
Technical specifications
- Robot name: La Chevre
- What it does: Weeding
- Dimensions: Length 15.5”, width 7.4”, height 7.2”
- Turning radius: Zero-turn
- Weight: 1600 kg
- Energy source: Battery powered (charged through a diesel generator)
- Driveline: Electric drive system (propulsion motor operated)
- Navigation system: RTK-gps, LiDAR sensors to detect obstacles
- Output capacity: 0.1 acres/hour
- Pricing: Sale for US $500,000 or robot-as-a-service (RAAS) for US $50,000 per season
- Availability (countries): North America
- Units operational (total end 2022): 6 units
About Nexus Robotics
Nexus Robotics, a technology startup in Nova Scotia (Canada) has received $2.6 million in grant funding from Sustainable Development Technology Canada to develop autonomous robotic solutions for agriculture. The company’s fully autonomous weeding robot has already received $1.7 million in seed financing. The new funds will be used to create the next generation of robots and develop them intensively to provide farmers with even more environmentally-friendly benefits. Nexus Robotics uses articulated arms, AI, and advanced algorithms to remove weeds and treat diseased plants, which can increase crop yield and reduce herbicide and fungicide application by up to 50%.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUd2Gnk5oVg&ab_channel=InertiaProductDevelopment
The company will launch the second generation of field robots in Canada this summer and in California later this year. La Chevre, Nexus Robotics’ new prototype, navigates and removes weeds autonomously and is capable of removing weeds without damaging crops. It constantly collects data about the crop and growing conditions, allowing farmers to make more informed decisions about soil fertility and disease remediation.
