Earth Rover Exhibits CLAWS at FutureGrow Expo 2024
Earth Rover participated in the FutureGrow Expo 2024, organised by the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) on October 8, following the successful completion of our Tree Production Innovation Fund (TPIF) project with the Forestry Commission.
Earth Rover team and CLAWS at FutureGrow Expo 2024.
FutureGrow Expo is a new event organised by the HTA aimed to highlight the importance of strategic investments in mechanisation and automation within the industry. The expo showcased innovative technology demonstrations focused at transforming business productivity and sustainability.
The expo began with presentations highlighting the work of exhibitors and various innovative projects, including Earth Rover’s involvement in the TPIF project. Representatives from the HTA and the Forestry Commission discussed the project's outcomes and emphasised the need for chemical-free weeding solutions in horticulture. This provided a great platform for attendees to engage with the findings and explore how our light weeding robot, CLAWS, can play a pivotal role in achieving these goals.
The Forestry Commission introducing Earth Rover’s role in the TPIF project.
Following the presentations, participants enjoyed a coffee break and the opportunity to wander the exhibition hall, where Earth Rover had a central stand. Our team engage directly with numerous decision-makers and industry leaders who recognised the pressing need for CLAWS in sustainable farming practices within the tree seedling and horticulture industry to address labor and regulatory challenges, and enhance crop health without relying on chemical herbicides.
CLAWS’ Four-Day Scouting Demo at Goodwood Festival of Speed
Earth Rover showcased CLAWS, its autonomous lightweeder and scouter robot, at Future Lab during the Goodwood Festival of Speed, offering a four-day live crop monitoring demo.
Earth Rover’s stand at Future Lab.
Earth Rover was honored to exhibit at Future Lab during the prestigious motorsport event Festival of Speed at Goodwood, held from July 11 to 14, 2024.
Goodwood Festival of Speed is one of the world’s most renowned motorsport events, particularly known for its hill climb, car displays, cutting-edge automotive technology, and other events. Held annually on the grounds of Goodwood House in England, the festival attracts thousands of visitors from around the world, from motorsport enthusiasts to industry leaders.
Within the festival there is Future Lab, a dedicated exhibition space showcasing pioneering innovations across different fields, such as robotics, transportation or sustainability. It serves as a platform for companies to present their forward-thinking technologies which have the potential to shape the future of mobility and beyond. This innovative hub stands out to attendees for its diverse feature of interactive displays and demonstrations, aiming to inspire them with the possibilities of technology in improving the future.
Earth Rover exhibited our AI-powered weeder and scouter robot, CLAWS, at this year’s Future Lab. Designed to revolutionise sustainable farming, CLAWS eliminates the need for chemical herbicides by using AI to detect and precision light technology to kill weeds, as well as offering real-time, per-plant crop monitoring, fitting nicely with Future Lab’s theme of “Robots to the Rescue”.
Scouting demo of CLAWS at the Festival of Speed.
During the four-day event, CLAWS continuously demonstrated its scouting capabilities, captivating a diverse audience that included tech enthusiasts, farmers, families, home gardeners, children, media outlets, industry leaders, government officials, and global decision-makers. The engaging demonstrations led to lively discussions, and attendees expressed their excitement about how Earth Rover’s autonomous robot could transform modern farming practices.
CLAWS gathering per-plant data under the rain at Future Lab.
CLAWS at the Royal Norfolk Show 2024
Earth Rover's innovative solution for chemical-free weed control, CLAWS, was the centerpiece of the Royal Norfolk Show's Innovation Hub, held on June 27th and 28th at the Norfolk Showground in Norwich, England.
The Earth Rover team with CLAWS at the Royal Norfolk Show’s Innovation Hub.
The Royal Norfolk Show is one of the UK's most prestigious agricultural events, attracting thousands of visitors each year. This vibrant event features a broad array of exhibits relating to farming, food, and rural life. From livestock competitions to a wide variety of stands, attendees can also explore an extensive showcase of agricultural machinery, including the latest advancements in agricultural technology.
The Innovation Hub, an exhibit within the Royal Norfolk Show and hosted by Agri-TechE, is a dedicated space for showcasing new farming practices, technologies, and emerging agri-tech. As a member of Agri-TechE, Earth Rover exhibited in the Innovation Hub and brought our robot CLAWS, giving visitors an up-close look at our chemical-free light weed control and per-plant crop monitoring solution. CLAWS was positioned in the centre of the Innovation Hub tent, thereby attracting significant attention throughout the two-day event, acting as a focal point for discussions about sustainable farming and the future of agri-tech.
CLAWS exhibit at the Royal Norfolk Show
From early on the first day, CLAWS piqued the curiosity of growers, industry experts, government ministers, agri-tech enthusiasts, and even children alike. The dynamic conversations and growing interest around the machine sparked numerous in-depth discussions, with many visitors eager to explore how Earth Rover’s technology could be integrated into their own farming operations. Attendees were particularly drawn to the potential of reducing chemical inputs with Earth Rover’s Lightweeders, improving crop yields, and addressing labor shortages in agriculture, all of which are concerns that are increasingly at the forefront of modern farming.
Earth Rover at the CropTec Show 2023
Earth Rover participated for the first time in the CropTec Show 2023, held on November 29th and 30th at the National Agricultural Exhibition Centre (NAEC) in Stoneleigh Park.
The CropTec Show is a pivotal exhibition and conference for the agricultural community, highlighting and promoting the advancement of arable technology. The exhibition features a diverse array of technological innovations, machinery, and agricultural practices which help meet the evolving needs and challenges of the industry. Bringing together farmers, agronomists, advisors, and industry experts from around the world, the event aims to foster innovation, collaboration, and knowledge sharing within the agricultural sector.
Earth Rover participated in the StartUp Zone at the CropTec Show, an initiative sponsored by the UK Agri-Tech Centre. This space provided a platform for emerging companies in the agri-tech sector to showcase their innovative technologies and ideas to a broader audience.
Over thee two-day event, Earth Rover conducted numerous presentations at the StartUp Zone. The key focus of the presentations was CLAWS, our innovative light weeding and crop monitoring robot, delving into the AI and technological developments of the agricultural robot, sharing insights into the progress made during the year and future plans.
A significant point of discussion was the performance of CLAWS on commercial farms during the 2023 growing season in the UK. The trials conducted were notably successful, with the robot meeting key milestones and surpassing expectations in both effectiveness and efficiency in real agricultural settings. This success underscores the practical applicability of CLAWS in modern farming practices, paving the way for broader adoption and impact in the industry.
Earth Rover team at the CropTec Show 2023.
Earth Rover’s presence at CropTech 2023 attracted significant interest from attendees, who were eager to learn more about CLAWS and its potential to revolutionise agricultural practices. Our team engaged in countless conversations with attendees throughout the event, sharing their passion for sustainable agriculture and answering questions about CLAWS.
Earth Rover at the VDI Conference on Automation and Robotics in Agriculture
Our Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Tomàs Pieras, had the opportunity to participate in the 4th International VDI Conference on Automation and Robotics in Agriculture, held in Dusseldorf, Germany, from June 28-29, 2023. During the conference, Tomàs Pieras delivered an insightful talk on “Using AI for Weed Control and Crop Scouting“, showcasing Earth Rover’s cutting-edge solution CLAWS and its potential to revolutionise farming practices.
During his talk, Pieras, focused on the application of artificial intelligence (AI) to weed control and crop scouting. He highlighted the development of CLAWS, which utilises AI algorithms and machine learning to identify and target weeds with high accuracy and precision to eliminate them.
Tomàs Pieras presenting at the VDI Conference on Automation and Robotics in Agriculture.
Tomàs stressed the vast benefits that growers can obtain by integrating smart robotics and AI technology for crop scouting and weed control, as CLAWS does, which empowers growers with real-time information and enhanced decision-making capabilities. The combination of advanced robotics and AI algorithms that we provide creates a powerful tool that revolutionizes farming practices, leading to sustainable and profitable outcomes.
Panel discussion with VDI speakers.
In addition to the informative talks delivered by representatives from other revolutionary companies, the conference offered various discussion and networking opportunities that facilitated valuable interactions and the exchange of ideas between the industry professionals present at the conference. These discussions, which mainly focused on robot autonomy and security, allowed everyone to share their expertise and learn from the diverse perspectives within the agricultural automation community. The engaging environment fostered meaningful collaborations and the exploration of potential partnerships for future advancements.
Thank you to the VDI for organizing this conference on Automation and Robotics in Agriculture and inviting us to participate in it. We are grateful for the opportunity to present our cutting-edge solution and contribute to the industry's collective efforts in revolutionising farming practices, and provide solutions that address the evolving challenges faced by growers worldwide.
Earth Rover at No 10’s Farm to Fork Summit
Earth Rover at No 10’s Farm to Fork Sumit
On the past Tuesday, May 16, our CEO, COO and some members of our R&D team attended the Farm to Fork meeting held at 10 Downing Street. During this summit, we had the opportunity to engage with the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, along with representatives from various sectors of the UK food supply chain. The objective of this summit was to encourage collaboration between the government and industry in order to support a thriving UK food industry.
The Earth Rover team with a CLAWS module at Number 10
As a company at the forefront of AI and robotics in agriculture, we presented our innovative solution, CLAWS, during this summit. We showcased how CLAWS utilizes cutting-edge cameras, AI algorithms, machine learning and other innovative technologies to precisely and effectively target and eliminate weeds using concentrated light beams, while maintaining the integrity of the crop. The demonstration aimed to highlight the potential of our technology in revolutionizing weed control practices and enabling farmers to adopt more sustainable and environmentally friendly farming methods, achieving zero chemicals, zero emissions and zero tillage.
The Farm to Fork meeting was an invaluable occasion to share our vision and engage in meaningful discussions with industry leaders, policymakers, and fellow innovators. It was an incredible opportunity to contribute to the dialogue surrounding the future of agriculture in the UK and showcase how Earth Rover is pioneering advancements in AI and robotics to drive positive change in the sector.
We are immensely proud to have been part of this important meeting to support a thriving UK food industry that prioritizes sustainability, innovation, and the well-being of both farmers and consumers.
CLAWS Featured in CNN's "The Next Frontier" Episode on Future of Food
CNN's recent episode of The Next Frontier, titled “How We’ll Eat in 2050“ delves into the future of food through technological advances and explores the possibility of whether AI-powered robots could be the next frontier in farming. In the episode, our co-founder and CEO, James Brown, discussed the challenges that the food system is facing, and the environmental impact of current agricultural practices. In this episode, we are proposing a potential solution to these issues, which we are actively developing and implementing, called CLAWS.
Behind the scenes of CNN’s episode of The Next Frontier.
CLAWS, which stands for Concentrated Light Autonomous Weeding and Scouting, is our innovative autonomous rover that uses GPS guidance to navigate through fields, performing both scouting and weeding tasks. CLAWS’s advanced technology enables it to autonomously identify and eradicate weeds, enhancing farming efficiency and sustainability. By using concentrated light, CLAWS not only removes the need for chemicals but also reduces soil erosion, leading to healthier crops and eliminating the negative environmental impacts of alternative farming methods.
Overall, The Next Frontier episode provided an insightful look into the innovative solutions being developed by companies like Earth Rover, as the combination of cutting-edge technology with sustainable agriculture practices has the potential to revolutionize the way food will be grown and consumed in the future as we continue to face pressing global challenges related to food security and sustainability.
Collaborating with Agri-EPI Centre
It all begins with an idea.
Agri-EPI Centre is the centre for Engineering, Precision and Innovation in farming, aiming to revolutionise farming and food systems through precision technology. They are a partner of choice for agri-tech developers, from start-ups through to established companies, and have delivered over 100 commercial and 45 collaborative R&D agri-tech projects.
Earth Rover’s collaboration with Agri-EPI Centre has enabled our team to make significant progress under the Innovate UK funded project for the CLAWS rover.
Agri-EPI latest visit to PollyBell Farm, where Earth Rover’s agricultural robot CLAWS was operating, demonstrated the versatility of CLAWS.
ROBOTRIM
It all begins with an idea.
The Earth Rover team has played a key role in the development of ROBOTRIM, an innovative system for the automatic pruning of vine. Our expertise in robotics and automation has been instrumental in this project, which has been developed in collaboration with FEMAC, Grupo Cordorniu, ATRIA Innovation, and Valldoreix Greenpower, aims to improve productivity, reduce costs and enhance working conditions in the agricultural sector of vineyards.
ROBOTRIM features a cutting-edge vision system that detects cut points for each type of vine, allowing for precise and efficient pruning, and a robotic arm that can reach different positions in which the branches of the vine are found. This robot could be the beginning of the complete automation of vine agriculture, significantly saving time and labor to farmers.