The American company Carbon Robotics has developed the LaserWeeder G2, a machine capable of eliminating up to 600,000 weeds per hour with high-precision lasers without using herbicides. This innovation promises to transform modern agriculture and, in the future, also domestic gardening.
Weed removal is a task as old as agriculture itself. Ever since humans began cultivating land over 10,000 years ago, battling weeds has been a constant effort. In gardening and home gardens, manual weeding remains one of the most tedious tasks, and in industrial agriculture, chemical herbicides became the dominant tool during the 20th century.
However, issues of herbicide resistance, soil degradation, and environmental concerns have led more and more farmers to seek more sustainable alternatives. This is where Carbon Robotics comes in, with an innovative yet controversial proposal: eliminating weeds with high-power lasers guided by artificial intelligence.
The LaserWeeder G2 incorporates 24 lasers and 24 NVIDIA graphic processing units (GPUs). These components allow the system to precisely recognize which plants are crops and which are weeds, applying a laser shot that destroys the weed without harming the desired plant or the soil.
The company claims the machine can eliminate up to 10,000 weeds per minute, or about 600,000 per hour. To put that into perspective, it’s equivalent to the work of a crew of 75 people weeding manually.
Moreover, the robot collects images and data from each operation, feeding an artificial intelligence model that improves its plant identification capabilities over time.
Advantages over traditional methods include saying goodbye to herbicides, thus preventing soil and groundwater contamination; protecting biodiversity, as pollinating insects and soil microorganisms are not affected by pesticides; sustainability, as the ground remains more fertile in the long term without compaction or chemical residues; and labor efficiency, addressing one of the major current issues: the lack of agricultural labor.
However, not everything is an advantage. Experts caution about several challenges: the high costs, given the incorporated technology (lasers, GPUs, artificial vision), make it suited for large-scale operations, far from private gardens; safety, as high-power lasers require protective measures to prevent accidents among people and animals; and partial effectiveness, as a weed can regrow if a root survives the laser shot.
Despite these challenges, the transformative potential of this technology is undeniable.
Although the LaserWeeder G2 is designed for large-scale agriculture, it’s not far-fetched to imagine smaller laser robots for urban gardens, community gardens, or even domestic lawns in the future, capable of keeping grounds clean without the gardener needing to bend over or use herbicides.
Carbon Robotics is not alone in this venture. Precision agriculture technologies are being developed worldwide, including drones that spray only where needed, moisture sensors connected to the cloud, and autonomous tractors. Yet, the LaserWeeder stands out for its radical approach: zero chemicals, just lasers. Its development coincides with a moment of transition in global agriculture, where regulatory pressure and consumer demand for cleaner foods are driving the search for sustainable methods.
The LaserWeeder G2 symbolizes a new era in the fight against weeds: that of green, high-precision technology. Although currently out of reach for hobby gardeners, it opens the door to a future in which caring for a garden or orchard could be simpler, cleaner, and more respectful of nature.
As with any advancement, it sparks both enthusiasm and caution. Yet, thanks to innovations like this, the gardens of tomorrow could be chemical-free and closer to science fiction than we imagine.
FAQs:
1. Can it already be used in domestic gardens?
Not yet, it’s currently intended for industrial agriculture, although smaller versions for domestic use could appear in the future.
2. Does it really not damage crops?
The artificial vision system allows it to distinguish between weeds and crops with great precision, minimizing risks.
3. Is it more effective than herbicides?
Yes, because it avoids the resistance some weeds develop against chemicals. However, roots may regrow in some cases.
4. Is it safe for people and pets?
The equipment requires strict safety measures due to the use of high-power lasers. In domestic gardens, additional protection systems would need to be incorporated.
