Robots and AI combine for precision future farming platform

The concept comes from Small Robot Company, a collective of farmers, engineers and scientists hoping to transform the face of agriculture. Replacing bulky equipment like tractors with lightweight robots means the soil isn’t compacted by massive weight from above, and the robots can punch-plant directly into the soil, with no need for ploughing. As well as an environmental benefit, this also allows every seed to be mapped with precision and monitored individually.

“This will entirely change what’s possible on the farm, and how we think about farming,” said Sam Watson Jones, co-founder of Small Robot Company and a fourth generation Shropshire farmer. “When we cannot only understand a farmer’s field on a plant by plant basis, but we can also take action at that level, a completely different farming system becomes possible. Farming will be able to produce an abundance of food with minimal negative environmental impacts.”

Small Robot Company uses three robots – Tom, Dick and Harry – to automate the planting and growing process. Tom monitors crops and soil, Dick delivers precision feeding and weeding, and Harry is the precision planting robot. All three report back to Wilma, the AI system that oversees the entire arable operation and helps make decisions regarding crop management and individual plant care. According to the Small Robot Company, the system will cut chemicals and emissions by up to 95 per cent, increase revenues by up to 40 per cent and reduce costs by up to 60 per cent.