A group of investigators from the Chapingo Autonomous University in Mexico have designed a multipurpose robot tractor for the farming sector. Their goal is to address the development needs of small and medium producers.
The robot was originally built to participate in the sowing of large grains such as beans and corn , though it is now capable of collecting small grains such as barley, rice, and wheat , according to a statement.
It can also be used to sprinkle fertilizer, water, pesticides, and fungicides . It will soon be equipped with a tool for the detection and control of weed .
The robot is the first of its kind and a state-of-the-art tool, since it perfectly adapts to the needs of Mexican agriculture at a price that over 3.5 million small and medium agricultural producers can afford.
The device can be applied on surfaces of 2 to 12 acres in central and southern Mexico. It can also prevent risks to human health in the use of certain pesticides.
An investigator from Post Graduate Studies in Agricultural Engineering and the Integrated Use of Water at the Irrigation Department of the University , Noé Velázquez López , mentioned that the robot can be used on small plots in which producers often lack proper machinery such as tractors, harvesters, fertilizers, or reaper binders .
Velázquez López added that Mexico is in great need of cutting-edge technology in the farming sector and the new robot could be of great help for the development of small planting areas.
The device is equipped with sensors and controls capable of detecting diseases . It’s special wheels are capable of treading different terrains along with a rotary sensor which allows it to map the robot’s location in real-time so that users may monitor its trajectory.
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