This California Greenhouse is Run by Robots
upstart writes:
This California Greenhouse is Run by Robots - ExtremeTech:
Northern California-based Iron Ox was born from the realization that conventional American agriculture negatively impacts the environment in a multitude of ways. The type of farming most of us are familiar with uses as much as 70 percent of the world's fresh water supply and produces up to 1.19 gigatons of greenhouse gasses every year. [...]
Iron Ox uses two house-designed, AI-supported robots to perform most repetitive farming tasks and ensure resources are used efficiently. The first of these, called Grover, makes up the brawn of Iron Ox's robotic crew. Able to lift more than 1,000 pounds, Grover helps move plant "modules" (i.e. planter boxes) around the greenhouse. Grover also helps water and harvest crops in tandem with Phil, the company's brainier robot farmer. Phil monitors and delivers each module's water, nutrient mix, and pH levels to maximize crop yield and quality while making sure resources aren't overused.
[...] As with any other setting, the integration of robots into agriculture raises concerns regarding job displacement. Conventional farming has long presented employment opportunities for lower-income communities and immigrants; [...] The company says farming is facing a labor crisis as young workers turn away from grueling, environmentally detrimental work, and that its technology may very well present a more positive alternative.
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