Electric Robots Ideal For Vegetable Farmers

Electric Robots Ideal For Vegetable Farmers CULTIVATORS Three robots called Dino Oz and Ted are working vegetable fields and vineyards in France and other countries “We gave our products real names because they’re doing the work that humans do ” say NAIO Technologies founders Gaetan Severac and Aymeric Barthes In the past decade the dynamic engineering duo has assembled a sophisticated team of developers that have produced 3 unique products DINO is a 1 750-lb robot with 4 driving wheels that can work beds from 47 to 63 in wide traveling about 2 1/2 mph GPS guidance is paired with camera vision so DINO works precisely and accurately Its mechanical tool set includes hoe shares spiked harrows or rotary hoes Power is supplied by lithium batteries TED is a precise weeding tool for vineyards a vehicle that Barthes says replaces a large amount of human labor and reduces chemical use Built on a frame that’s 90 in long and 80 in wide TED can work up to 8 hrs on its lithium batteries Four drive wheels transport the vehicle as it uses Kress fingerweeders and passive interplant hoeing blades The company is working on prototype tools for mowing debudding leaf thinning and trimming OZ is the newest and smallest vehicle in the NAIO line barely knee high but capable of working between rows of growing vegetables “In 4 hrs OZ handles the same amount of work as one person could do in 2 days ” says Franck Echard a French market gardener Because of its small size and electric power OZ can also work inside greenhouses or hoop buildings The vehicle uses a ridging brush straight tines or low spiked harrows to till between rows and can also be set up to tow a seat or pull a small trailer Guidance for OZ is supplied by a camera and laser with electrical power from 40 to 100 A lithium batteries Contact: FARM SHOW Followup NAIO Technologies 235 Montagne Noire 31750 Escalquens France ph 011 33 972 454 085; www nair-technologies com

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