Robots in the Fields: IIT Kharagpur’s High-Tech Marvel Fights Crop Disease and Boosts Yields

Image Source: The New Indian Express

In a milestone for Indian farming, scientists at IIT Kharagpur have developed a smart, tracked robot that can identify crop diseases and apply pesticides with high precision. The semi-automatic ground robot has been designed by a team from the Mechanical Engineering Department to ride through India's difficult farm landscapes and overcome long-standing problems of plant health and pesticide application safety.

Key Highlights:

Advanced Disease Detection: The robot employs camera-based vision and image analysis to identify plant diseases with precision, eliminating the drawback of human error and noisy data common in drone-based systems. This allows for early and accurate disease detection, which is essential to reduce crop loss and maximize yields.
Precision Pesticide Spraying: With a serial manipulator-like a robotic arm-the system is able to spray pesticides from a variety of angles (top, bottom, and sides), only spraying on affected areas and minimizing chemical overuse. The technology not only saves crops but also farmers from exposure to toxic chemicals.
Tough and User-Friendly: Designed on a tracked vehicle, the robot glides over rough fields. It is powered by batteries, running up to two hours per charge, and can be operated remotely with a simple panel-no expert technician needed.
Multipurpose Capability: In addition to disease detection and spraying, the robot can be programmed for plant health monitoring, harvesting, and other precision agriculture operations, positioning it as a multi-purpose tool for the modern farm.
Government-Supported Innovation: The project, which has been supported by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, is part of an initiative to translate cutting-edge technology from the lab to the land, supporting India's vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India).
Impact on Industry: By minimizing crop loss, enhancing food quality, and reducing farmers' health risks, the robot has the potential to significantly increase agricultural productivity and add to the country's GDP.

This intelligent tracked robot represents a significant improvement in agricultural automation, with the promise of safer, more efficient, and more productive farms in India's future.

Source: The Hans India, Deccan Herald, Economic Times Manufacturing