Charles Grinnell presents at: Mothers of Invention-Robots 2012

Summary

The video showcases a robotics company solving labor challenges in agriculture by developing autonomous robots to assist with tasks like moving plants. Founded by experts from iRobot, the company focused on addressing critical business issues in agriculture, particularly in the nursery and greenhouse industry, where labor shortages persist. The robots operate in various weather conditions and perform repetitive tasks like spacing plants. While the company explores expanding into other areas of agriculture, their current products are already helping customers reduce labor dependence and increase productivity.

Takeaways

• 🤖 The speaker co-founded a robotics company focused on solving significant business problems using robotics, specifically in agriculture.
• 👨‍🌾 The company chose agriculture as a focus after realizing that many crops, such as strawberries and peppers, are still heavily reliant on manual labor.
• 🌱 10% of all agricultural production is related to crops sold in nurseries and garden centers, requiring a large workforce to move plants around.
• 🚜 The company developed autonomous robots that can move plants around in agricultural fields, reducing the need for human labor in this repetitive task.
• 🌍 The robots are designed to work in various environments, including rain and uneven terrain, but there are limits to the conditions in which they can operate.
• 🧑‍🔧 Workers still play a role in supervising the robots, such as setting up equipment and handling minor issues, like adjusting sensors or moving plants the robots miss.
• 🏗️ The company aims to expand its robots to other areas of agriculture, such as data collection for crops like wheat and corn, and even into industries like construction and mining.
• 💰 The current cost of the robot is around $30,000, with a payback period of 15-30 months for customers, which is considered attractive in the industry.
• 👷 There is concern among workers about job displacement due to robots, but the company argues that labor shortages make automation essential in agriculture.
• 🍊 The company believes it will eventually develop robots capable of more complex tasks, such as picking oranges, although this is a longer-term goal.

Q & A

What was the primary goal of the company when it was founded?

The primary goal of the company was to solve critical business issues with robotics, while also pushing the field of robotics forward. They didn't initially know which industry they would focus on but aimed to address significant business problems through automation.

Why did the company choose to focus on agriculture?

After exploring various sectors, the company chose agriculture because it posed a significant labor problem, particularly in handling plants. The agricultural industry had a clear need for automation, and the team realized they could develop a robot to help with tasks like moving plants, which is labor-intensive and time-consuming.

What is the specific agricultural sector that the company is targeting?

The company is targeting the production of plants typically found in nurseries and garden centers, which represents 10% of agricultural production. This sector requires a large labor force to move plants around, creating an opportunity for automation.

How does the company’s robot contribute to the agriculture industry?

The company's robots automate the task of moving plants, which is currently done manually by workers. The robots perform repetitive, heavy-lifting tasks, reducing the need for human labor and solving labor shortages in the industry.

What are some key features of the robots designed for agriculture?

The robots are fully autonomous and designed to operate in real-world, variable conditions like rain and uneven terrain. They are equipped with advanced sensors for perception and reasoning, allowing them to navigate and perform tasks in challenging outdoor environments.

How do the robots compare to human workers in terms of performance?

Although the robots carry only one plant at a time, compared to humans who often carry two, the robots can work continuously without breaks, making them nearly as productive as human workers over the course of a full day. The robots can also work with more consistency and accuracy.

What labor challenges does the agricultural industry face, and how do robots help address them?

The agricultural industry faces severe labor shortages, with fewer people willing to do physically demanding tasks like moving plants. Many workers are undocumented, and fewer individuals are willing to perform this type of labor. Robots help solve this problem by automating the tasks that are hard for humans and filling the gap created by the labor shortage.

What is the approximate payback period for a customer who buys one of these robots?

The payback period for a customer purchasing one of the robots is typically between 15 and 30 months, which is considered attractive compared to other equipment that may take longer to pay off.

How are the robots used in practice at a nursery or agricultural facility?

At a nursery or facility, workers set up the robots with parameters and lay down guidance tape. The robots then move plants in the designated area for several hours, performing tasks that typically involve heavy lifting. The workers supervise and occasionally perform maintenance tasks like cleaning the sensors.

What future applications does the company envision for its robots beyond plant nurseries?

Beyond plant nurseries, the company envisions expanding into other agricultural sectors like wheat and corn, as well as non-agricultural industries like mining, construction, and warehousing. They also plan to develop robots for additional tasks like applying pesticides and gathering crop data.