Agricultural firm John Deere launches a new technology to aid farmers in planting and fertilizing seeds at a remarkably rapid and meticulous rate.
The company officially debuted the ExactShot robotic planting tech at CES 2023.
Purpose
Auto news platform writer Michelle Lewis shared her experience at the John Deere Tech Summit in Austin via Electrek.
Apparently, the ExactShot is a planting and fertilizing tech that gets linked up to John Deere tractors, per embedded software and solutions VP Nancy Post. Remarkably, the tech is focused on “precision, speed, and volume.”
John Deere’s speakers noted that the global population is projected to surge from 8 billion to almost 10 billion by 2050. Therefore, they believe farmers must increase their production by 60-70%.
They also highlighted climate change issues that make agricultural operations tough. That said, they aim to aid farmers with sustainable and efficient technology.
How does it work?
The planting cycle is as follows:
- clear the path
- create a trench
- place the seed
- place the fertilizer
- close the trench
The 54 56v modular electric robots that comprise ExactShot have sensors that track when each seed is inserted into the soil.
At the same time, a robot will apply just the right amount of fertilizer—0.2 ML—directly to the seed as it is planted into the ground. According to the press release, this approach enables farmers to decrease starter fertilizer usage by over 60%.
Furthermore, ExactShot monitors speed and operating circumstances once the farmer inputs the dose parameters.
On the other hand, inputs from the nozzle, travel speed, and dose are used to calculate the system pressure.
The spray-on time delay is computed using the row travel speed, belt speed, and spray velocity after the seed has been sensed.
ExactShot’s 6,600 seed plantation rate
ExactShot can plant 6,600 seeds in just three seconds, as highlighted by Nancy Post.
The seeds are drawn in by the vacuum system. Meanwhile, the brush and the vehicle’s speed create a dead drop with incredibly precise placement so that the seeds land exactly where they should. The likelihood of plants sprouting and expanding at the same rate is increased in this manner.
She also mentioned that robots help ensure precise seed planting, which means it must be neither too deep nor shallow nor too close nor far apart.
See Also:
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Apart from that, the VP also stated that ExactShot is equipped with real-time fault identification. That said, the electrified smart system is modular enough to allow for the replacement of specific robots and components in case of malfunction.
“Everything we do at John Deere is focused on real purpose and real impact. This means we’re developing technology that enables our customers to provide the food, fuel, fiber and infrastructure that our growing global population needs.”
John Deere CTO Jahmy Hindman at CES 2023
