Robotic weeding is based on a plant detection camera.

Our new weed robot,  (Patent No PCT/DK2005/000311)  is designed for intra row thermal weeding. The machine is capable of removing the weed between plants in a row of crops.

The robot can operate at 1 - 6 km pr hour

Principle of operation: Flame-Weeding

A computer with a camera detects the individual plants in the row and the software calculates the position of the plants. The Plant Detection algorithms can distinguish between crop and weed.

When a crop plant is passing, the position of the plant is recorded by the camera. When the same plant a  moment later is passing under the array of burners, signals are sent from the computer which causes  the plasma jets adjacent to the plant to be switched off whereas other jets are kept on. This pattern of ON-and OFF jets are moving along the array with the same speed as the machine is driving forward. The result is that the pattern of hot plasma jets is stationary with respect to the ground while the machine is passing. In much the same way as the belts of a caterpillar stays still while the vehicle is passing. The end result is that the weed is destroyed while the crop is spared. The soil has not been moved and therefore no weed seeds have been "wakened".

Efficient and economical weed control without herbicides.

Principle of operation   (animation)