Carbon Robotics unveils new LaserWeeder model
Carbon Robotics has released the Track LaserWeeder, a new model of its LaserWeeder, as well as a pair of software enhancements.
The upgrades include spatial data intelligence in the Carbon Ops Center and multilanguage support in the iPad operator app, according to a news release. By incorporating these advancements, Carbon Robotics said it not only addresses the diverse needs of farmers in various regions, but also empowers them with actionable farm data.
“We are excited to introduce the new Track LaserWeeder unit and software upgrades that will further improve the efficiency and capabilities of our industry-leading LaserWeeder for growers,” Carbon Robotics founder and CEO Paul Mikesell said in the release. “Our customers laser weeded for more than 50,000 total hours last year across more than 100 different crops, capturing major savings in weed control costs and reporting substantial increases in crop yield and quality.”
The Track LaserWeeder offers a custom track system built in collaboration with Soucy and GK Machine and was designed with growers to extend the LaserWeeder’s usability across diverse soil types, including muck soil, Carbon Robotics said. By equally distributing the LaserWeeder’s weight, the tracks minimize compaction and allow the machine to enter fields earlier in the season despite challenging conditions, the release said. The first Track LaserWeeders are complete and staged for delivery beginning in March 2024, the company said.
“Custom tracks extend the versatility and flexibility of the LaserWeeder and open up laserweeding to more regions and farms with varying soil types,” John Mey, vice president of product at Carbon Robotics, said in the release. “By improving ground pressure to 6.5 psi and supporting row spacing of 64 [inches] to 90 [inches], growers in muck regions now can use LaserWeeder to do the work of a 75-person hand weeding crew, have an alternative to herbicides, and gain the production benefits resulting from no soil disruption.”
Carbon Robotics said it also has introduced visualized spatial data available to all LaserWeeder customers. This offering allows growers to access field, crop and weed metrics using the Carbon Ops Center, including stand count, density, type, average size and distribution, according to the release. This data allows growers to identify and address areas with inconsistencies or surprising results and provides them with quantitative crop stand counts early after planting and well before harvest, the company said.
Carbon Robotics said it has also incorporated multilanguage support into its iPad operator app, now supporting seven additional languages, including Spanish, French, German, Danish, Dutch, Polish and Romanian. This feature allows field operators to use the app, alerts and Carbon support more effectively by reducing language barriers, the release said.
The company said 2023 was a record year, with a tripling number of LaserWeeders shipped to growers and rapid expansion into Europe and Australia. To support continued growth and rapid new product development, Carbon Robotics raised $43 million in new capital in 2023, bringing its total funding to $80 million since its founding in 2018, according to the release.
Carbon Robotics said those attending the World Ag Expo can visit representatives as exhibitor booth No. F26, South Exhibits.
