I thought the same. Why not just sort out an automated irrigation system, and do the initial seeding manually? Even with a robot there will be manual work like cleaning weeds, pruning, etc.
Re:Open Source Farming Robot
by justsomeperson on Friday June 25, 2021 @09:10AM
(#27630309)
weeding and pest control is where the real utility for a farm robot would come in.
Yes, good point. Does this open source farm robot spray pesticide?
Shouldn't need too, if you know where you've planted then you can kill any plant that's growing in an unknown place.
For all the other types of pest, you really don't want to be automatically spraying that, you're one software bug away from having a very bad day.
If that's the case then plastics from your irrigation system would also ruin your environment.
Metals (although in tiny portions) are part of ourselves but plastics are not.
Re:Open Source Farming Robot
by jasondozell on Friday June 25, 2021 @07:21PM
(#27637440)
Don’t think a hose that costs $10 is comparable to everything going into these contraptions that cost $1.5k
Anyone who has done it knows if you have irrigation sorted there is very little needed for seedlings to grow to full size. Even with no irrigation we’re only talking 5mins watering on dry days.
Adding all this electronics and metal to an otherwise organic and natural process is environmentally, economically and spiritually detrimental.