Aigamo Robot is a smart robotic duck that is named after the breed of duck used in the modern version of this ancient practice. Two rotating rubber brushes on its underside take the place of a duck’s feet, which oxygenate the water by stirring it up and preventing weeds from taking root.
Nissan’s Aigamo Robot is an innovative device designed to assist Japanese rice farmers in maintaining their paddy fields without relying on chemicals. Traditionally, farmers have used ducks to paddle through flooded rice fields, where the birds eat insects and weeds, oxygenate the water, and fertilize the soil with their droppings. The Aigamo Robot emulates these beneficial activities.
Weighing approximately 1.5 kilograms and measuring about 60 centimeters square, the robot is equipped with two rotating rubber brushes on its underside. These brushes stir up the water, preventing weeds from taking root by disrupting their growth environment. The robot navigates the fields using GPS and Wi-Fi, and it operates on batteries that can be recharged via solar power, making it an eco-friendly solution.
The Aigamo Robot is currently undergoing testing in Japan’s Yamagata Prefecture. While it remains a prototype with no immediate plans for mass production, it represents a promising step toward sustainable agriculture by reducing the need for herbicides and pesticides
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