Robotic weeder Newman

Startup company Ullmanna has developed a smart weeding machine capable of increasing organic food production and revolutionizing agriculture. By utilizing robotics and artificial intelligence (AI), it distinguishes weeds from cultivated crops and mechanically removes them. This enables farmers to grow crops over larger areas without increasing manual labor and helps reduce pesticide use by at least 40 percent.

The device, thanks to its built-in optical sensor, can identify cultivated plants from weeds and then remove them. The optical sensor captures georeferenced images of crops at a high frequency. These images are evaluated online using machine vision technology and also sent for analysis using artificial intelligence.

Physical weed removal is achieved mechanically using knives with pneumatic drive. In the basic working position, the knives are recessed, and by the machine's movement, they undercut the top layer of soil, thereby removing weeds along with most of their root system and partially loosening the topsoil. When the control unit signals that the working tools are approaching a cultivated plant, the knives open using a pneumatic mechanism. The cultivated plant remains in the gap between the knives and, unlike the weed, is not removed. Once the working tool passes the cultivated plant, the knives return to the working position again using the pneumatic mechanism.

The device is designed as modular, allowing for the use of different numbers of working units depending on the desired working width and row spacing. From a structural standpoint, the machine is a frame-based, semi-mounted unit attachable to a tractor or autonomous robotic platform using a three-point hitch.