Founding father of Harvested Robotics, Rahul Arepaka (22) constructed Rakshak, an AI-powered laser-weeding robotic that combats weeds with out harming the vegetation. He’s now the use of it to assist farmers earn extra.
Weeds pose an important downside for farmers, considerably decreasing harvest yields if now not addressed on time. The ICAR-Directorate of Weed Analysis (ICAR-DWR), Jabalpur, estimated that the overall losses led to by way of weeds quantity to just about $11 billion consistent with yr throughout 10 primary vegetation in India.
Efficient weed control is due to this fact of high significance, each in the case of productiveness in addition to for farmers’ earning. On the other hand, the primary manner of guide weed removing is time-consuming, labour-intensive, and costly. In keeping with an ICAR-DWR record, weed control accounts for 20 to twenty-five p.c of the overall cultivation prices.
“I develop 20 varieties of greens on my farm and want to take away weeds each and every two weeks. Doing this by way of hand is costly and tough paintings, particularly with such a lot of other greens, which ends up in loads of weeds,” says Prashant T R, a farmer from Madurai.
The opposite strategies of weed removing contain the usage of weedicides or herbicides, which can be chemical substances sprayed at the box to get rid of weeds. Regardless that that is efficient, it has a long-term adverse have an effect on at the atmosphere and the well being of farmers.
Studying about this downside caused Rahul Arepaka, an engineering scholar at Mahindra College in Hyderabad, to expand an answer. He constructed an AI-powered laser-weeding enforce known as ‘Rakshak’ via his corporate, Harvested Robotics.
“A farmer spends virtually Rs 15,000 for weeding, which must be performed no less than 3 to 4 occasions throughout a whole season. So the overall value sums as much as virtually Rs 60,000. The opposite possibility is the use of chemical substances, however I sought after to construct an answer this is just right for the farmer in addition to the planet,” Rahul tells The Higher India.
Precision laser generation to kill weeds
Rahul — who’s now within the last yr of laptop science engineering — participated in lots of robotics competitions along side his pals, together with the International Robotics Olympiad. “We have been construction farming robots and realised that weeds are an enormous downside. All over internships at firms like FarmBot, we evolved laser-based weed removing answers as evidence of idea. Via this enjoy, I recognized an opening within the Indian marketplace for a laser weeder,” says Rahul.
As an alternative of the use of chemical substances or hiring guide labour, Rahul made up our minds to construct laser generation for weed control. What began as a brainstorming consultation in December 2022 advanced right into a concrete imaginative and prescient inside of a couple of months. Via his college’s incubation programme, he gained an preliminary investment of Rs 5 lakh.
Teaming up with 3 pals, additionally final-year engineering scholars from other disciplines like mechanical and electronics, they launched into creating a laser generation to struggle weeds in June 2023. Over the last 8 months, they’ve gained a complete funding of Rs 18 lakh from the college’s incubation centre to additional expand this platform.
Rakshak is a tractor-mounted laser weeder constructed the use of robot platforms that utilise precision laser generation for weed eradication, which is paired with person weed popularity via deep finding out algorithms.
Whilst there are some gamers globally who’ve constructed equivalent answers, what differentiates Harvested Robotics is the ability supply of the laser, explains Rahul. “To burn weeds in India, you must use no less than 200 watts of laser supply to burn it briefly. The worldwide gamers use a 1,200-watt laser, which prices them $40,000 only for the laser — a restrictive value. Those lasers even have a very top upkeep value,” provides the 22-year-old.
To unravel this downside, as an alternative of depending on one large energy supply, Rahul and the group used a host of smaller laser assets, which they blended to get the similar consequence. “We’ve used 5 other laser assets to get 200 watts at the flooring. This manner, we have been in a position to noticeably cut back the associated fee, whilst making sure even energy distribution,” he explains.
The way it works
Rakshak gets rid of weeds right down to their roots. It autonomously identifies weeds the use of cameras and synthetic intelligence, utilising blue laser generation for detection.
“As you power the tractor, the gadget makes use of laptop imaginative and prescient and AI to stumble on what’s a weed and what’s now not. The usage of precision generation and accuracy, the lasers burn them down. This additionally reduces the possibilities of regrowth of weeds,” he provides.
All the device is powered by way of the tractor battery itself and doesn’t want any exterior supply for charging. “It doesn’t rely at the horsepower of the tractor. All tractors have a three-point linkage the place our enforce will get connected. It’s powered in the course of the PTO (energy take-off) or trolley trailer socket,” he explains, including that this robot enforce works on virtually any tractor, throughout sizes.
He provides that this technique may be a zero-chemical answer.
“We aren’t the use of chemical substances and now not traumatic the soil. It preserves the soil and maintains the crop’s integrity as tilling strategies aren’t used. We pay attention the laser at the stem level of the weed, with a focal point on destroying the water cells throughout the plant, in order that the water-absorbing capability is misplaced and the plant dies. The leaves sooner or later fall out and can turn out to be manure for different vegetation,” provides Rahul.
Whilst weeds have a tendency to develop once more in different strategies of weed control, that is extra sustainable, he claims.
“Laser weeder machines in the USA value one million greenbacks. Our answer is probably the most inexpensive on this planet. It’s going to additionally cut back the selection of weeding cycles and time. Such generation isn’t to be had in India and we’ve additionally implemented for a patent,” he says, including that the opposite to be had machines use carbon dioxide-based generation, are large, and feature a top upkeep value.
“Different answers use invisible laser generation whilst we use blue laser gentle which penetrates quicker via chlorophyll,” he provides.
Rahul and his group constructed the enforce over 8 months and feature performed trials in farms throughout India. Harvested Robotics is a part of the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub, and they’re additionally operating with Mahindra & Mahindra to check their product. They’re gearing as much as release their product out there in the following couple of months, and it’s anticipated to be priced at Rs 10 lakh.
For more info, you’ll be able to touch Rahul at [email protected].
Edited by way of Pranita Bhat