The University of Idaho recently partnered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to design a robotic system created to exterminate weeds. Developed for use at the Coeur d’Alene Nursery, the robot moves along rows of seedlings, scanning for weeds using artificial intelligence.
The project’s main goal is to enforce sustainability and reforestation. By minimizing weeds, seedlings are allowed more access to nutrients from soil and can grow stronger and faster. Streamlining weeding efforts additionally cuts down on costs required to do so manually.
Kas Dumroese, a former researcher for the U.S. Forest Service who played a vital role in the development of the design, discussed the project’s focus on sustainability. “Autonomous weed eradication will reduce our labor costs and reliance on chemical pesticides and fossil fuels, improving locally adapted plants and strengthening reforestation efforts,” Dumroese said in a press release from UI.
The three-foot-wide robot utilizes electricity to eradicate weeds. Other methods of extermination were considered, including lasers and flamethrowers, before eventually settling on the final product.
The team responsible for developing the robot includes a plethora of UI students and faculty including computer science graduate students Garrett Wells and Brent Knopp, undergraduate student Kevin Wing, postdoctoral researcher Mary Everett and the director of UI’s Center for Intelligent Industrial Robotics, John Shovic.
Shovic currently estimates the robot’s accuracy at 80-89% with hopes to increase that percentage going forward via continuous improvement of the AI.
Officials from all six Forest Service nurseries spanning nationwide were in attendance for the demonstration that took place last month.
Future potential for the project includes trialing the system on other nurseries beyond Coeur d’Alene. Data collection and further experimenting will continue through 2025.
Alison Cranney can be reached at [email protected].