SEATTLE, WA - The future is here when man and lasers work hand-in-hand to solve one pesky problem: weeds. Technology is always advancing, and so is our industry with it. Carbon Robotics is helping ag workers stay competitive while providing the nutritious fruits and vegetables we all need, and it’s doing so in a big way.
“Carbon Robotics is focused on helping farmers and growers be more effective, more efficient in delivering healthy food to their customers. Our first and main product, LaserWeeder, is our entire focus for right now,” began Paul Mikesell, Chief Executive Officer and Founder. “It uses a combination of AI and high-powered lasers to kill weeds in farmer fields without the need for manual labor or spraying herbicides.”
If you haven’t seen the LaserWeeder in action, my humble opinion is that it looks like a real-life version of Galaga, and the weeds are invading aliens. The machine has cameras trained to detect weeds and extra plants in real-time with millimeter accuracy, effectively weeding and thinning at the same time while eliminating extra labor hours or herbicidal use to bring both physical and nutritional benefits to growers and consumers.
“We’re able to explode weed cell walls with a laser beam, right in the growth center of the weed, and that laser beam has no residue deposited; the organic weed matter will then turn into nutrients for the rest of the crops,” continues Paul. “There is no herbicide runoff or downstream of harmful environmental effects, which creates healthier crops and provides safer working conditions for farmers because it reduces their exposure to chemicals usually used to maintain crops.”
Carbon Robotics is an agriculture technology company first and foremost. It wields deep knowledge in AI and robotics systems, bringing that expertise to agriculture to save time, money, and labor in the industry. So far, Paul tells me, the company has helped eliminate 2.5 billion weeds. The 20-foot-wide machine employs 30 lasers and can run across three 80-inch rows. It works great for all vegetable and specialty crops.
“Our machines are out in fields all throughout the United States, and we’re getting orders prepared to ship out to Europe and Australia for next year. The LaserWeeder pays for itself within one to three years. We've seen payback periods as low as 0.8 of a year,” Paul says. “This also opens up opportunities to produce organic foods while yielding more raw crop volume, as it doesn't disturb the soil. Consumers want to know that their fresh produce is grown cleanly, farmers are treated fairly, and companies are sustainable. Our machines can help meet those needs while helping growers achieve a higher yield per acre, which overall just increases the availability of these types of products to shoppers.”
If you’re interested in checking out these, as Freethink affectionately called them above, "killer robots" for yourself, get in touch with the Carbon Robotics team. Paul and his crew will be traveling across the East and West Coast on their tour of shows, with the first stop at Southeast Produce Council. Some demo machines were on-site, but if you couldn’t make it, check out the NBC video below to learn more.
Stick with ANUK as we report on advancements in the industry.
