How a robotic dog that fire blasts weeds could help curb pesticide use in agriculture

印刷用画面を開く

Posted

Category: Technology/Innovations

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. canine / ˈkeɪ naɪn / (n.) – a dog or an animal that is related to dogs, like a wolf and fox
    Example:

    At the dog show, each canine was judged on its appearance and behavior.


  2. suppress / səˈprɛs / (v.) – to reduce or prevent the growth or development of something
    Example:

    The doctor gave medicine to help suppress Danny’s cough, so he could sleep better at night.


  3. conventional / kənˈvɛn ʃə nl / (adj.) – usual or traditional
    Example:

    Conventional farming relies on methods that have been used for generations, unlike organic or modern farming.


  4. sound / saʊnd / (adj.) – showing right and good judgment
    Example:

    Supporting renewable energy sources, like wind and solar power, is a sound choice for a cleaner future.


  5. by no means / baɪ noʊ miːnz / (idiom) – not at all; definitely not
    Example:

    The project is by no means finished. We still have a lot of work to do.


Article

Read the text below.

A canine-like Spot robot could provide the answer to harmful pesticides. Forever a problem child for environmentalists, the UN has long been keen to minimize their impact. Pesticides are used to suppress weeds and aid crop growth, some types do not harm soil, but many do.


Developed by researchers at Texas A&M University, the Spot robot uses heat from a torch powered by propane to blast the plant. Dezhen Song from Texas A&M University developed the robot and is now based at Mohamed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence in Dubai.


He explains that as opposed to actually killing the weed, the aim is to weaken it at the root, preventing a quicker regrowth—which tends to occur with weeds that are physically cut back. The flame coming from the robot accelerates the process of weakening the weeds and can target “superweeds” which are becoming more resistant to more conventional pesticides.


The Spot robot offers a more environmentally sound approach to weed control than the mass application of pesticides usually opted for in commercial agriculture.


The UN has issued repeated warnings about pesticides. According to the organization, they have existed in the environment for decades, threaten food production, and contaminate soil and water sources.


Dezhen says he hopes the robots will also replace farmers—simply because there aren’t enough of them. The human rights group the International Labor Organization estimates the percentage of people working in farming has dropped from 44% in 1991 to 26%, within nearly 30 years. Dezhen says it is a crisis.


“In (the) long run, I hope this will also reduce human labor. So, it also has a cost benefit if we can bring down the robot system cost and make this traverse the field autonomously and take care of the field.


“There’s another crisis that we are facing in the agriculture field, the average age of the farmer keep growing because young people do not want to do this hard work. So, there’s definitely a need for those type of robots.”


The project is by no means the first example of an attempt to use robotics to solve some of the issues facing modern agriculture.


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • Do you think the use of modern technology in farming like the Spot robot is necessary nowadays? What makes you think so? Do you believe traditional farming methods will still be important in the future? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Spot robot provides a more eco-friendly option for weed control compared to the widespread use of pesticides in commercial agriculture. How important do you think it is for farming to become more sustainable? In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges farmers face when transitioning to more sustainable practices (ex. learning how to use new technology, the cost)? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • The agriculture sector faces a crisis due to the aging farmer population. Why do you think fewer people want to work as farmers today? In your opinion, should we prioritize attracting younger generations to farming, or focus on investing in agricultural technology? Why? Discuss.
  • How do you feel about robots replacing humans in the farming workforce? What could be the advantages and disadvantages of this (ex. advantage: more sustainable, disadvantage: high initial cost)? Discuss.