The shortage of truck drivers is a familiar problem and now a new project using technology similar to what’s already used in farmers’ fields is being tested on highways. The Alberta Motor Transportation Association (AMTA) has launched Canada’s first program to test a platoon system of tractor trailers that will see the lead truck driven […] Read more
Tag Archives autonomous equipment
Ag game changing and the intelligence is inside
Artificial intelligence in agriculture is at the technology farmgate with machines that think like farmers
Artificial intelligence is on the cusp of causing a sea change in agriculture that promises to quickly challenge conventional crop-production and farm management techniques. Many components required to build autonomous, smart agricultural equipment for vegetable and grain production in North America are already proven technologies. Sensors including camera, lidar, and radar, as well as components […] Read more
Bill Gates’ green tech fund bets on Silicon Valley farming robots
Sept 22 (Reuters) – As California struggles with another crippling drought, a Silicon Valley startup that believes robots can grow produce more sustainably said Wednesday it raised US$50 million in a funding round led by Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures. Iron Ox uses robots that are integrated with a hydroponic system consuming 90 percent less […] Read more
Autonomous baler handles tedious part of job
Collecting bales that are spread out across large fields is an onerous job, which is why Vermeer has developed an autonomous bale mover. “We saw a need out there starting with biomass, where we needed to pick up a bunch of corn stalk bales and put them to the edge of the field,” said Kent […] Read more
Small electric, autonomous tractors build big-time
A California startup is building three models of autonomous tractors fit with electric drive trains, with the smallest already in production and deliveries to American farmers expected this year. “The Bearcub-24 model has a 24 kilowatt-hour battery, and it’s the equivalent to let’s say around 30 horsepower,” said Bakur Kvezereli, founder of Ztractor. Each model […] Read more
Smart Farm helps make high-tech agriculture a reality
Olds College is showing how computers will revolutionize the way modern prairie agriculture is about to be carried out
A computer control room isn’t exactly the first thing that comes to mind when people think of farming, but Stuart Cullum says such technology is already sort of here. “I mean, a lot of what’s happening on the farm can be seen on a computer in a control room, so to speak — a person […] Read more
More farm robots on the horizon
Small companies and startups are having the biggest initial impact as work on autonomous platforms continues
The march of the robots into agricultural fields continues. Major OEMs are well into the development of autonomous platforms, but the relatively small companies and startups are having the biggest initial impact. The electric utility tractor by Monarch will be available to Canadian farmers this year and it has interesting autonomous capability that may turn […] Read more
VIDEO: Alta. farmer’s autonomous tractor working well
Brian Tischler, who demonstrated his technology at canolaPALOOZA in Lacombe in late June, says safety is crucial
LACOMBE, Alta. — Brian Tischler stands in front of a moving tractor. Nobody is in the driver’s seat, but the machine stops. It senses he’s there. He then decides to get out of the tractor’s way. The machine notices he’s no longer there and carries on with business, moving forward. “We went around this field […] Read more
Sprayer built for autonomous ag platform
REGINA — Slightly less than a year after the DOT autonomous agricultural platform was shown to the public at the Ag In Motion Farm show, the first DOT compatible implement built by a “platform partner” is being tested. A newly formed company called Connect, which is closely affiliated with Pattison Liquid Systems, has produced a […] Read more
Farmer develops tractor control
An Alberta farmer has developed open source software capable of driving tractors autonomously with the use of their existing GPS. AgOpenGPS is a free program farmers can download onto a tablet, which users then plug into a port located on the back of most GPS systems. The tablet also needs to connect to an arduino, […] Read more
