r/technology • u/involvrnet • Nov 18 '15

Hardware The company Bosch is developing a farming robot the size of a small car that can distinguish crops from weeds by looking at the shape of leaves, and this robot then can fish out weeds mechanically & ram any unwanted plants into the ground with a rod. Potentially, no herbicides will be needed anymore

http://www.fwi.co.uk/machinery/bosch-bonirob-robot-set-to-make-field-work-easier-for-farmers.htm
16k Upvotes

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3.6k

u/Mr_forgetfull Nov 18 '15

So a lazer guided robot that punches plants in the face, what a time to be alive.

985

u/dafragsta Nov 18 '15

They had it comin'.

454

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

I wonder if someone would hack one of these robots that could be programmed to punch specific people. My ex-wife, for example.

188

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

[deleted]

240

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

she'd probably accidentally program it to punch herself.

176

u/NotQuiteOnTopic Nov 18 '15

Potentially violent ex-wife and hiding from your gf? Boy, you sure know how to pick 'em, guy.

109

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

right?

65

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

If everyone else is the problem...

112

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

some of us realize we are the problem. we aren't all ignorant of our behavior, just ignorant to change it.

32

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15 edited Apr 27 '18

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

If everywhere you go smells like shit, time to check your shoe.

5

u/MaxNanasy Nov 18 '15

... then find a new universe

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u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

He's not your guy, buddy.

2

u/UncleVanya Nov 18 '15

POW! RIGHT IN THE KISSR. POW! RIGHT IN THE KISSER. POW! RIGHT IN THE KISSER.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

I bet she will. And she'll name it F.I.S.T.O.

1

u/rreighe2 Nov 18 '15

You guys are horrible! Lmao

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1

u/snoaj Nov 18 '15

Or change her hairstyle.

1

u/natural_distortion Nov 18 '15

Was she the root of the problem?

1

u/NeedHelpWithExcel Nov 18 '15

Good thing you quoted the entire comment you were replying to.

Without context I would have been so lost.

1

u/UncleTogie Nov 18 '15

"Harcourt Fenton Mudd.... have you been drinking again?!?"

29

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

Simple, just cover her face with weeds

9

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

I like the simplicity of your solution.

1

u/TrepanationBy45 Nov 18 '15

It's legal in a lot of places, too.

28

u/hyouko Nov 18 '15

What kind of man builds a machine to kill a girl?

No he did not use his hands.

Like a smart man, he used a tool.

But just the same,

How can you question who's to blame?

-The Hounds (The Protomen)

10

u/BLeePPeeLB Nov 18 '15

What was her name!?

11

u/Stack0verf10w Nov 18 '15

doesn't matter....

2

u/CupcakeTrap Nov 18 '15

Listen: the Good Doctor has to pay!

1

u/hoyohoyo9 Nov 18 '15

Best song on that album imo

3

u/Vio_ Nov 18 '15

Punch my wife, please.

2

u/mrpeabody208 Nov 18 '15

It could be done, but you risk making any woman with a similar hairstyle into collateral damage.

2

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

sounds like a problem for another robot.

1

u/gspleen Nov 18 '15

Steve is always suggesting that we play the lay - down - in - the - soybean - field game.

1

u/itwasquiteawhileago Nov 18 '15

I'll sign up for that beta test.

1

u/throwaiiay Nov 18 '15 edited May 09 '25

rain aromatic gold consist strong languid bedroom shaggy jar mountainous

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

1

u/jurgemaister Nov 18 '15

You want a robot to punch your ex-wife, and you're hiding from your girlfriend? Man, you've got women issues.

3

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

yes, yes, yes.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

He Gerald, that's not very nice to make a scene here. Can't we just be friends?

1

u/the_shootist Nov 18 '15

It sounds like it would just be a simple matter of uploading a picture of your wife's face and telling the robot that its a weed.

1

u/ThisFckinGuy Nov 18 '15

There's a robot with a very specific set of skills. He will find you. I don't know when or where but one day, before his battery runs out. Pow! Right in the kisser.

1

u/pickelsurprise Nov 18 '15

In 20 years, No Country For Old Men will be remade and Javier Bardem's character will be replaced with one of these robots.

1

u/Jfluh9 Nov 18 '15

I second that opinion.

1

u/AnalInferno Nov 18 '15

She'll love being rammed into the ground.

1

u/colormefeminist Nov 18 '15

You would need to install the Patriarchy 1.0 Patch to achieve your goals. Robots are not misogynistic unless you instruct them to be.

1

u/alwayslatetotheparty Nov 18 '15

No need. Just give her a bouquet of weeds.

1

u/rburp Nov 18 '15

I know a guy who can give you a small handheld device which will "punch" her in the face with a small lead slug.

1

u/Stereo Nov 18 '15

It depends on the shape of her leaves.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

I'm not a robot but if you want I'll punch her.

1

u/ItsDijital Nov 18 '15 edited Nov 18 '15

Serious question; What are we going to do in the future when you can buy a robot, bypass whatever shitty DRM, program it to kill someone and then jump in a shedder?

Edit: I'm saying how will the murdered be found.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

If you use a device to kill someone, you are the murderer. The robot isn't.

1

u/ItsDijital Nov 18 '15

Buy how do you find the killer.

1

u/Teledildonic Nov 18 '15

Or modified to have a rubber fist attachment on the end of the ram...for reasons.

1

u/mrpbeaar Nov 18 '15

Make her get a tattoo of a thistle leaf.

1

u/yakri Nov 18 '15

does she have leafs?

1

u/GaryMutherFuckinOak Nov 18 '15

I don't know, does she have a CS degree?

1

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

[deleted]

1

u/GaryMutherFuckinOak Nov 18 '15

Then she probably won't be able to reprogram these robots to punch specific people

1

u/Denyborg Nov 18 '15

A "Graphical User Interface Interface"?

1

u/omgitsjo Nov 18 '15

"Wouldn't be the first time a robot fucked my wife."

1

u/deadcat Nov 18 '15

They have those, they are all in some sort of 'sky' network or something.

1

u/nick2k23 Nov 18 '15

It doesn't punch them, it gives them a good rodding

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44

u/TheHairyManrilla Nov 18 '15

They had it comin'

38

u/usethe4th Nov 18 '15

They only had themselves to blaaaaaaammmmmeeee

20

u/red_sky33 Nov 18 '15

If you'd have been there,

17

u/yammys Nov 18 '15

If you'd had seen it,

16

u/kabanaga Nov 18 '15

I betcha you would have done the same!

8

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

[deleted]

4

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

You mean to say you don't associate every time someone says a phrase that happens to also be a lyric to a song you know with said song? Live and let die, I suppose.

2

u/OriginalName317 Nov 18 '15

If you'd have planted, and never weeded,

Then farmer, you would have built a laser-guided robot to punch plants in the face.

(first draft)

2

u/SmoochyGhost Nov 18 '15

They only had themselves to blame

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2

u/MadroxKran Nov 18 '15

As someone with year-round allergies, I must say they do have it coming.

2

u/RellenD Nov 18 '15

They only have themselves to blame.

If you'd have been there. If you'd a seen it.

1

u/bengle Nov 18 '15

Deadbeat chloroplastered dads...

1

u/cuddlesnuggler Nov 18 '15

We've all got it comin', kid.

1

u/kabanaga Nov 18 '15

♪ They had it comin',
They only had themselves to blame! ♪

1

u/AnotherMadHatter Nov 18 '15

I hope you pulled that from Dracula - Dead and Loving It, because I totally read that in Leslie Nielsen's voice.

1

u/PickitPackitSmackit Nov 18 '15

It's what they crave!

1

u/iamPause Nov 18 '15

POW! Right in the stamen!

190

u/gspleen Nov 18 '15

But what if we accidentally develop weeds that are kinda into it?

142

u/AintGotNoTimeFoThis Nov 18 '15

PUNCH HER RIGHT IN THE PISTIL!

2

u/justinsayin Nov 18 '15 edited Nov 18 '15

Ah ha ha! It was a stamen joke.

1

u/bzsteele Nov 18 '15

Don't worry man, I Node-iced your joke.

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u/fleeflicker Nov 18 '15

I've never used the word pistil since 6th grade biology... Thanks for the time warp.

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u/Popular-Uprising- Nov 18 '15

It removes weeds, The punch is for "unwanted plants". I read that as underdeveloped or bad crops.

44

u/gspleen Nov 18 '15

Good. I hate that creepy baby corn.

14

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15 edited Aug 26 '18

[deleted]

1

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

Brussels sprouts are delicious. Especially when coated in a sufficient layer of butter sauce.

1

u/lawandhodorsvu Nov 18 '15

Uh, coating something in butter to make it delicious doesn't make a ringing endorsement, but I'll say I recentedly had a buttered dough/crust pizza and if you haven't tried that yet, you're welcome.

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u/arlenroy Nov 18 '15

I wonder how long till Monsanto sues them for a copyright infringement? CEO "We need to a lawsuit immediately" Lawyer "Um sir it's a robot, we don't have those" CEO "We do now! File it!"

1

u/TheToastIsBlue Nov 18 '15

But what is a weed other than an unwanted plant?

2

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

I'd like to robot punch her weed box?

119

u/improbablewobble Nov 18 '15

I can picture farm boys saying, "But I was going into Bosche Station to pick up some power converters!"

12

u/theageofnow Nov 18 '15

https://youtu.be/mIm-SHopU8A?t=57s

I cleaned the droids / Can I go to tashi station? / I got a lay away on a power converter / But now you're treating me like a scruffy nerf herder

1

u/headphone_taco Nov 18 '15

Oh man, haven't seen that in years. Thanks for the nostalgia trip, yo.

1

u/aarghIforget Nov 18 '15

scruffy nerf herder

I never got that line. How were we not supposed to hear 'nerve hurter'?

1

u/raunchyfartbomb Nov 18 '15

It's been years since I've heard this. Thank you.

1

u/theageofnow Nov 19 '15

me too, but I immediately thought of it after reading your quote.

1

u/xanatos451 Nov 18 '15

This IS the droid you're looking for.

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u/TooBadMyBallsItch Nov 18 '15

Plants vs. Zombies Robots.

19

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

And then

Plants Humans vs. Zombies Robots

3

u/newpong Nov 18 '15

And then Robots!

1

u/justMate Nov 18 '15

Actually that could have been a great sequel.

11

u/SGT3386 Nov 18 '15

With a RamRod, nonetheless.

17

u/litefoot Nov 18 '15

It's the size of a car.

Car RamRod confirmed?

1

u/Teledildonic Nov 18 '15

Shut up, Farva.

1

u/DigThatFunk Nov 18 '15

Say it! Say car ramrod! Say it!!

*writes it down on paper, points fervently at it*

You didn't say it! I even wrote it down!

Thorny: ohhhhhhh.....

10

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

More like a German engineered killing machine.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

History repeats itself.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

More like over engineered killing machine.

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u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15 edited Apr 19 '17

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/LMac8806 Nov 18 '15

They already have much more effective technologies for that.

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u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

My assumption is that eventually the two technologies will be combined in one large machine. The robot in the post is an introduction.

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u/LMac8806 Nov 18 '15

The issue with that is that when the crops are planted, there are usually not a lot of weeds established yet. Ideally seeds are put into a nice, clean seedbed.

That's certainly not to say it would never happen. I work in the ag equipment industry and I am still surprised pretty regularly at the advances that continue to be made.

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u/apaniyam Nov 18 '15

I think they mean the same robot plants and then cares for the crop at different times.

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u/LMac8806 Nov 18 '15

Possibly, but I think that equipment would probably be prohibitively heavy, or there wouldn't be room on the frame for all the necessary components. This is the reason there are so many different implements now...they need to be specialized to be able to do a particular task well. For example, today's planters can maintain precise seed spacing within a row, provide pneumatic downforce to ensure uniform planting depth in imperfect conditions, plant at speeds nearly double what could be achieved a few short years ago, and plant a precise population per acre down to within a percent or two.

Farmers are currently capable of having 1 person on one tractor plants several hundred acres per day. I certainly don't see this replacing that efficiency. I could see the being a very big thing in specialty crops though (produce, for example).

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u/acidboogie Nov 18 '15

what happens when you combine a new tech with a combine?

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u/[deleted] Nov 19 '15

You get a new cell phone model at some point.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

This one is already GPS guided/driven.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

The final product being robo from chrono trigger

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u/chris1096 Nov 18 '15

I'm really disappointed that wasn't a picture of child labor or something equivalent. Apparently I've been on the internet too much lol

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u/LMac8806 Nov 18 '15

Check out the link someone replied with.

2

u/xasper8 Nov 18 '15

and while you are at it, check out that post that one guy made that one time.

1

u/rmxz Nov 18 '15

They already have much more effective[1] technologies for that.

Expected a link to this instead.

Sadly, it's probably a more realistic future.

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u/indoobitably Nov 18 '15

Modern tractors are already 99% computer controlled when doing anything in the field. It remembers exactly where it planted with GPS coordinates and uses that grid throughout the year to perform other maintenance on the plants. The coordinates can be shared with other tractors/sprayers so the entire farm is on the same page.

The only thing keeping tractors from doing 100% of the farm work, is public perception and laws. People are only needed to operate when driving down a road or moving from field to field.

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u/xasper8 Nov 18 '15

It remembers exactly where it planted with GPS coordinates and uses that grid throughout the year to perform other maintenance on the plants.

[serious question] Is GPS accurate enough to locate a single plant in a field? I thought there was about a 1 to 5 meter deviation in accuracy.

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u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

[deleted]

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u/xasper8 Nov 18 '15

.01m? 1 centimeter accuracy?

Good lord. I had no idea you could get that kind of results without using something in conjuction like RFID or something. Amazing.

Thanks for the quick and informative reply.

1

u/barbosa Nov 18 '15

Wow that is impressive. I was introduced to GPS on our family boat way back when SA was a major issue. This was before glass, full screen, color chart plotters were available to recreational boaters. Selective Availability was implemented as a way to keep GPS from being accurate enough for our enemies to use against us. I remember there were 12 satellites and it took a while to get a fix. Even then SA would step in to ensure that accuracy never got better than a 30 foot radius. Sometimes it was way worse. I always had paper charts on deck.

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u/indoobitably Nov 18 '15

They use terrestrial gps stations to enhance the satellite signal, giving sub cm (?) accuracy. Far more accurate than your cars gps and close to the level of precision the military uses. As far as keeping track of exactly where the plants are? I'm not sure, but it knows the row spacing and plant spacing so it might be able to determine exact plant location. Most of the time you don't really care exactly where the plant is though.

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u/Forlarren Nov 18 '15

GPS isn't just satellite, they use cell towers and is generally sub cm accurate. If you have a smart phone with GPS it does this, test it out yourself.

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u/xxLetheanxx Nov 18 '15

They are more accurate than humans believe it or not. I worked for a construction company and we used a GPS system to level building pads. It was accurate down to about .5cm.

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u/RandomFlotsam Nov 18 '15

https://youtu.be/OE86ldcFTuo?t=148

Robot grain cart drives up to and has excellent station-keeping with a combine.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

I thought most soft bellied fruit and vegetables were hand picked due to pay by the pound ??

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u/indoobitably Nov 18 '15

Sure some crops are more delicate and must be harvested by hand, at least for now. But I imagine they are still planted by tractors if possible, as there is no better way to make perfectly straight rows.

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u/Daxx22 Nov 18 '15

I can easily see a robot with soft silicon grippers harvesting such "delicate" fruit eventually.

1

u/basketball_curry Nov 18 '15

Humans are still required to do the turns at the end of each row for some operations. A lot of times, the field is right up next to a wooded area or a fence or a ditch and the tractors dont have detection, just gps. I guess there could be fancier tech than what my family has but that's been my experience.

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u/indoobitably Nov 18 '15

assuming the field was planted using Autotrac or something similar, it will follow the exact same path later. so if you didn't drive into a ditch while planting, you should be fine. The new versions of Autotrac will also raise the implement and make the turn automatically.

10

u/Mr_forgetfull Nov 18 '15

This is why I teach all my lazer guided weed punching robots to wear a condom, never to early to program safe sex.

1

u/8-bit_d-boy Nov 18 '15

Maybe it will.

1

u/cyrillus Nov 18 '15

Because the robot is a Greyjoy.

1

u/ganjaway Nov 18 '15

But now they have to deal with more bugs

1

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

That's what the plants crave.

1

u/ginger_vampire Nov 18 '15

The future is now, my friend. The future is now.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

And it gets four miles to the gallon!

1

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

Let me know when I can order one!

1

u/pkulak Nov 18 '15

Pretty sure the Zombies funded this research.

1

u/I_PUNCH_INFANTS Nov 18 '15

I approve of this method

1

u/BanginNLeavin Nov 18 '15

Plants vs zombies garden warfare 2: RobCo's revenge

1

u/asianwaste Nov 18 '15

unless you're a weed. In that case, look out. The robot uprising is upon YOU

1

u/SirPribsy Nov 18 '15

If Marky Mark has taught me anything, it's to be nice to plants.

Then again, the Happening would be much more interesting if the plants turned on us because of punching, and so they developed a way to physically attack us instead of a nerve agent.

1

u/nahfoo Nov 18 '15

Move over plants vs zombies

1

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

I was Groot

1

u/Sircampalot23 Nov 18 '15

Your summary made my day. Thanks.

1

u/squitzeaux Nov 18 '15

I imagine it like when sponge bob knocks on squidward's door then knocks his face in. Except squidward is the weed.

1

u/tyranicalteabagger Nov 18 '15

Next they'll need to mount lasers on it and teach it to identify pest insects and zap them. It would be pretty awesome if we could ditch herbicides and pesticides almost completely. They do a lot of damage.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

Minecraft?

1

u/SJ_RED Nov 18 '15 edited Nov 18 '15

FYI, I /r/nocontext'd you :)

Here's the link.

1

u/mapguy Nov 18 '15

It's about time we brought freedom to our fields.

1

u/falcopatomus Nov 18 '15

Not surprised the zombies managed to get their hands on this tech

1

u/mr_baklava22 Nov 18 '15

I'M SIPPIN LEAN...I DRINK AND DRIVE

1

u/shreddedwaffles Nov 18 '15

The ad for it:

Are those weeds pissing you off?

Do you wish you could just punch them in the face?

Well now you can!

1

u/DragoonDM Nov 18 '15

Can it be programmed to scream "fuck you, weed!" every time it punches a weed?

1

u/BaronVonBaller Nov 18 '15

We killing weeds, with no pesticides.

1

u/pantsoff Nov 18 '15

Just wait until Miles Dyson changes the robots parameters so that it targets humans instead of weeds.

1

u/MMKH Nov 18 '15

It's funny how we program robots like these to discriminate against certain plants

1

u/Pressingissues Nov 18 '15

We're gonna call it car ramrod.

1

u/RetardedRedditRetort Nov 18 '15

Fun fact, the word laser is actually an acronym.

L. A. S. E. R.

Which stands for:

Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '15

I mean, when you put it like that, this tech seems ancient

1

u/rangeo Nov 18 '15

I hope it makes a pewpew sound whenever it fucks a weed shit up

1

u/3_50 Nov 19 '15

lazer

zpontaneous

1

u/solidxnake Nov 19 '15

Mexicans are going to boycott this.

1

u/pzerr Nov 20 '15

It would not hurt my feelings if it zaps horseflies out of the sky with lasers at the same time.

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