Founding father of Harvested Robotics, Rahul Arepaka (22) constructed Rakshak, an AI-powered laser-weeding robotic that combats weeds with out harming the crops. He’s now utilizing it to assist farmers earn extra.
Weeds pose a major drawback for farmers, considerably decreasing harvest yields if not addressed on time. The ICAR-Directorate of Weed Analysis (ICAR-DWR), Jabalpur, estimated that the whole losses brought on by weeds quantity to nearly $11 billion per 12 months throughout 10 main crops in India.
Efficient weed administration is due to this fact of prime significance, each by way of productiveness in addition to for farmers’ incomes. Nevertheless, the predominant technique of handbook weed elimination is time-consuming, labour-intensive, and costly. In keeping with an ICAR-DWR report, weed administration accounts for 20 to 25 % of the whole cultivation prices.
“I develop 20 sorts of greens on my farm and have to take away weeds each two weeks. Doing this by hand is pricey and onerous work, particularly with so many alternative greens, which results in a number of weeds,” says Prashant T R, a farmer from Madurai.
The opposite strategies of weed elimination contain the usage of weedicides or herbicides, that are chemical compounds sprayed on the sector to eradicate weeds. Although that is efficient, it has a long-term unfavourable influence on the atmosphere and the well being of farmers.
Studying about this drawback prompted Rahul Arepaka, an engineering scholar at Mahindra College in Hyderabad, to develop an answer. He constructed an AI-powered laser-weeding implement referred to as ‘Rakshak’ via his firm, Harvested Robotics.
“A farmer spends nearly Rs 15,000 for weeding, which must be completed no less than three to 4 occasions throughout a whole season. So the whole price sums as much as nearly Rs 60,000. The opposite choice is utilizing chemical compounds, however I needed to construct an answer that’s good for the farmer in addition to the planet,” Rahul tells The Higher India.
Precision laser know-how to kill weeds
Rahul — who’s now within the last 12 months of pc science engineering — participated in lots of robotics competitions alongside together with his buddies, together with the World Robotics Olympiad. “We have been constructing farming robots and realised that weeds are an enormous drawback. Throughout internships at corporations like FarmBot, we developed laser-based weed elimination options as proof of idea. By way of this expertise, I recognized a niche within the Indian marketplace for a laser weeder,” says Rahul.
As an alternative of utilizing chemical compounds or hiring handbook labour, Rahul determined to construct laser know-how for weed administration. What began as a brainstorming session in December 2022 advanced right into a concrete imaginative and prescient inside a couple of months. By way of his college’s incubation programme, he obtained an preliminary funding of Rs 5 lakh.
Teaming up with three buddies, additionally final-year engineering college students from totally different disciplines like mechanical and electronics, they launched into growing a laser know-how to fight weeds in June 2023. Over the previous 8 months, they’ve obtained a complete funding of Rs 18 lakh from the college’s incubation centre to additional develop this platform.
Rakshak is a tractor-mounted laser weeder constructed utilizing robotic platforms that utilise precision laser know-how for weed eradication, which is paired with particular person weed recognition via deep studying algorithms.
Whereas there are some gamers globally who’ve constructed related options, what differentiates Harvested Robotics is the ability supply of the laser, explains Rahul. “To burn weeds in India, it’s important to use no less than 200 watts of laser supply to burn it shortly. The worldwide gamers use a 1,200-watt laser, which prices them $40,000 only for the laser — a restrictive price. These lasers even have a really excessive upkeep price,” provides the 22-year-old.
To resolve this drawback, as an alternative of counting on one huge energy supply, Rahul and the group used a bunch of smaller laser sources, which they mixed to get the identical end result. “We have now used 5 totally different laser sources to get 200 watts on the bottom. This manner, we have been in a position to considerably cut back the fee, whereas guaranteeing even energy distribution,” he explains.
The way it works
Rakshak eliminates weeds right down to their roots. It autonomously identifies weeds utilizing cameras and synthetic intelligence, utilising blue laser know-how for detection.
“As you drive the tractor, the machine makes use of pc imaginative and prescient and AI to detect what’s a weed and what’s not. Utilizing precision know-how and accuracy, the lasers burn them down. This additionally reduces the probabilities of regrowth of weeds,” he provides.
Your complete system is powered by the tractor battery itself and doesn’t want any exterior supply for charging. “It doesn’t rely upon the horsepower of the tractor. All tractors have a three-point linkage the place our implement will get hooked up. It’s powered via the PTO (energy take-off) or trolley trailer socket,” he explains, including that this robotic implement works on nearly any tractor, throughout sizes.
He provides that this technique can also be a zero-chemical answer.
“We aren’t utilizing chemical compounds and never disturbing the soil. It preserves the soil and maintains the crop’s integrity as tilling strategies are usually not used. We focus the laser on the stem level of the weed, with a concentrate on destroying the water cells contained in the plant, in order that the water-absorbing capability is misplaced and the plant dies. The leaves ultimately fall out and can grow to be manure for different crops,” provides Rahul.
Whereas weeds are likely to develop once more in different strategies of weed administration, that is extra sustainable, he claims.
“Laser weeder machines within the US price one million {dollars}. Our answer is essentially the most reasonably priced on the planet. It would additionally cut back the variety of weeding cycles and time. Such know-how is just not obtainable in India and we’ve got additionally utilized for a patent,” he says, including that the opposite obtainable machines use carbon dioxide-based know-how, are large, and have a excessive upkeep price.
“Different options use invisible laser know-how whereas we use blue laser gentle which penetrates sooner via chlorophyll,” he provides.
Rahul and his group constructed the implement over eight months and have carried out trials in farms throughout India. Harvested Robotics is a part of the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub, and they’re additionally working with Mahindra & Mahindra to check their product. They’re gearing as much as launch their product available in the market within the subsequent few months, and it’s anticipated to be priced at Rs 10 lakh.
For extra data, you may contact Rahul at rahul@harvestedlabs.com.
Edited by Pranita Bhat
