'Duck' robot helps Japanese farmers to kill grass without chemicals

Robot Aigamo simulates the duck's natural activity, thereby helping farmers to destroy weeds, protect crops without using chemicals.

For a long time, many Asian farmers know how to use ducks to replace pesticides. These birds will wade around rice fields to eat each insect and help kill the grass. Now, Japanese people use technology to replace traditional methods.

Aigamo is shaped like a mini vacuum cleaner.(Photo: Nissan).

Engineers Tetsuma Nakamura at Nissan auto factory successfully developed a robot called Aigamo , based on the local duck breed. The project is being tested in Yamagata Prefecture in northeastern Japan.

Robot duck has the same design as a vacuum cleaner with a surface area of ​​about 60cm square and weighs 1.5kg. Aigamo automatically moves on the water, underneath there is a mud stirrer to prevent weed photosynthesis.

Positioning device is mainly based on global positioning system (GPS) . The idea of ​​creating a machine came from the desire to completely eliminate harmful pesticides by engineer Tetsuma Nakamura. Aigamo can charge power from solar panels and use Wi-Fi connection.

Aigamo equipped with battery, Wi-Fi transceiver and GPS navigation.(Photo: Nissan).

Japan currently faces an aging population and a serious shortage of labor. Robot ducks will contribute to maintaining clean agriculture without using chemicals.

However, Tetsuma Nakamura will have to improve the product further when the size of Aigamo is quite large. Robots moving on the water surface can be pressed on young rice stalks. Farmers also expect the machine to help kill pests like ducks.

Robot harvests strawberries by Martin Stoelen in England.(Photo: Thetimes).

Earlier, Dr. Martin Stoelen of the University of Plymouth, England introduced the world's first strawberry picking robot. The productivity of the machine can reach 25,000 per day, far exceeding the figure of 15,000 for an 8-hour worker.

The robot has a height of 1.8 meters, moves by wheel and has an automatic arm to pick fruits. Martin Stoelen features sensors and 3D cameras for the "pet" to help locate the correct subject.

In the future, Japanese machines like Aigamo and strawberry picking products will become more popular. Machine learning and automation technology enhances the robot's ability to replace people gradually.