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foundafreeusername t1_itj4aws wrote

I still remember a comment from a few years ago about the first few experimental farming robots:

> There is no way robots can replace herbicides. How would a robot pull out each individual weed? This would take ages

I am curious if this ever gets widely adopted but good to see we might have another alternatives to herbicides in the future.

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domesticatedprimate t1_itk3s1m wrote

That was an extremely stupid and ignorant comment then as well.

Ages is fine if you're running it 24/7 even without the lasers.

Source: spent a lot of time discussing automated farming with hardware developers. Also I farm rice.

Really, the simplest and cheapest solution is the best solution even if it's really slow.

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VelveteenAmbush t1_itms67r wrote

> Really, the simplest and cheapest solution is the best solution even if it's really slow.

Also gets points for not putting exotic chemicals in our foods and groundwater

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Alan_Smithee_ t1_itk5far wrote

If it’s that slow, then we don’t really want it running on fossil fuels, do we?

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ArandomDane t1_itkb1cp wrote

For energy consumption (whether green or fossil or somewhere in-between), speed doesn't matter. Energy consumption is dependent on work done not how fast it is done.

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strcrssd t1_itkynev wrote

To some degree. Speed is inversely proportional to energy consumption due to air resistance. Slower is much more efficient.

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ChineseEntrepreneur t1_itl3334 wrote

This is the perfect Aktually comment. Something that's technically true but isn't a real consideration given the context.

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pzerr t1_itlh191 wrote

To a certain degree. The engine resistance internally will be far greater at some point then the work at the wheels. The overall efficiency at slow speeds will be far worse.

Ie. A car traveling at 1kph while idling will only make 200km before the tank is empty. (20 hours). There always is a sweet spot. In farm equipment, tractor speeds are far lower and thus air resistance is negligible when compared to the work they do.

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domesticatedprimate t1_itkwdwq wrote

Also, who said anything about fossil fuels?

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Alan_Smithee_ t1_itl5yid wrote

I did. We don’t want to trade one Environmental issue for another.

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Alan_Smithee_ t1_itk5arw wrote

They also experimented with propane flame units, which of course had their own environmental issues.

But if we want chemical-free crops, this is the way.

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help_me44 t1_itjx51s wrote

Ah yes the ego of an average reddior

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