Not sure where to put this

[joe soapy]

 

[joe soapy]

The weeded would do well for organic maize and other spaced crops

 

[Lazy Sod]

The pencil sharpener at the end of the video looks interesting. I listened to that bit several times but couldn't catch the name sufficiently well,

Anyone else get it?

 

[haulmblower]

Pencil sharpener

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1552967254/hvel-straight-to-the-point?ref=category_newest

 

[Danllan]

The weeder is just the start of what we'll all - livestock & arable - be using pretty soon.

Reminds me of a previous discussion with @Pasty and co..

 

[rob1]

but it only seems to strim the top off and surely the weeds will simply regrow ?

 

[Tim W]

but it only seems to strim the top off and surely the weeds will simply regrow ?

It'll be back soon ---

 

[rob1]

It'll be back soon ---

I'm sure it would but here it would be nicked before it went 20 metres, great in a isolated area perhaps

 

[Tim W]

I'm sure it would but here it would be nicked before it went 20 metres, great in a isolated area perhaps

If it's cheap enough it may not be so desirable to steal and easier to justify---it'll develop over time

 

[joe soapy]

but it only seems to strim the top off and surely the weeds will simply regrow ?

With annual crops its mainly about competition ,and allowing the crop time to get into a dominant position.
Grassland might need a different approach

 

[Danllan]

If it's cheap enough it may not be so desirable to steal and easier to justify---it'll develop over time

I'm sure that there is soon going to be chip inside that will immobilise if sent the right signal or taken more than X 100 yards away from it's 'home' GPS location. And, as Tim has written, they are going to be cheap and keep getting cheaper. Give it a few years and you'll get 20 little robots that are better than these for £1000, give it a few years more and you get 50 or a 100 for the same money.

@joe soapy a similar set-up will work for grass, the focus will probably be on 'above-horizon' plants instead i.e. it will be put on a grazed area, set itself at the mean grass height and macerate anything significantly bigger. It could also work its bump-function in reverse i.e. if it is 'stemmy', kill it.

This, or something very like it, is the way forward chaps; regardless of our opinions, as environmental 'protection' is rewarded, those reducing or ending use of herbicides will these little robots as a boon.

 

[joe soapy]

@joe soapy a similar set-up will work for grass, the focus will probably be on 'above-horizon' plants instead i.e. it will be put on a grazed area, set itself at the mean grass height and macerate anything significantly bigger. It could also work its bump-function in reverse i.e. if it is 'stemmy', kill it.

This, or something very like it, is the way forward chaps; regardless of our opinions, as environmental 'protection' is rewarded, those reducing or ending use of herbicides will these little robots as a boon.[/QUOTE]
I like the "bump" function idea, might even use a plant recognition system. I have found with frequent cutting
that normally upright weeds soon adopt a lower profile and may need a different approach to killing

 

[Danllan]

I like the "bump" function idea, might even use a plant recognition system. I have found with frequent cutting that normally upright weeds soon adopt a lower profile and may need a different approach to killing

I got rid of the vast majority of my docks by spot spraying and had forgotten the 'creeping' aspect; you are right, it does become apparent fairly quickly. There are several ways this could be countered using recognition, but I think the simplest would be to have a recognition of leaf shape, or a spectral analysis of various wavelengths of light - different species of plants absorb / reflect differing parts of the spectrum - or a combination of the two. It is a very interesting subject.