AI seems to be the answer to almost everything these days. From administrative work to image recognition and agricultural machinery: as soon as a system needs to be smart, artificial intelligence quickly enters the conversation.
In weed control, too, more systems are using cameras and AI to identify plants. But is AI actually necessary to determine where a plant is while spraying?
At WEED-IT, we deliberately take a different approach. WEED-IT QUADRO uses light and fluorescence detection to detect chlorophyll in living plants. As soon as the sensor detects a plant, the system can immediately activate the correct nozzle. No extensive image analysis, just detection and spraying in one fast process.
And nothing travels faster than light.
An AI-based spot spraying system typically uses cameras. The camera captures images of the field, after which software processes those images and determines what is visible. Based on that analysis, the system decides where to spray and where not to spray.
WEED-IT takes a different approach.
The sensors of WEED-IT QUADRO actively send light towards the ground. Chlorophyll in living plants responds with a characteristic fluorescence signal. The sensor measures this signal, allowing the system to immediately determine where living plant material is present.
WEED-IT therefore does not first need to interpret a complete image to find a plant. This requires little processor time and enables a very fast response.
The difference may sound small, but in precision spraying every fraction of a second matters.
A camera sees an image. An algorithm then has to determine what is shown in that image. WEED-IT, on the other hand, directly measures a physical property of the plant: chlorophyll fluorescence.
For precision spraying this is an important distinction. The goal is not to create a good image of the weed. You need to know exactly where to spray at the right moment.
Plant detected? WEED-IT can respond immediately.
This fast detection makes it possible to work accurately even at high driving speeds. With WEED-IT precision spraying you can operate at speeds of up to 25 km/h, depending on conditions and configuration.
WEED-IT QUADRO works with a precise 25 x 25 cm grid. This allows the system to apply spray very specifically to the areas where plants have been detected.
The result is a combination of high capacity and accurate application. You do not have to choose between working quickly and spraying precisely.
Camera-based recognition depends on clear and consistent imagery. Light conditions can therefore play a role.
WEED-IT uses its own active light source for detection. This allows the system to operate both during the day and at night. The sensor does not depend on daylight to detect chlorophyll.
For farmers and contractors, this mainly means flexibility. You can work when field conditions are right, whether that is early in the morning, late in the evening or at night. Heavy dust, such as during prolonged dry periods, has no effect on detection either.
Of course not. AI can be valuable when a system needs to distinguish between different objects or plant species. For example, software may need to determine whether a plant is a crop or a specific weed species.
But every application starts with the same question: what problem are you actually trying to solve?
For WEED-IT, the objective is clear. When spraying living plants selectively, the system needs to determine where those plants are quickly, reliably and accurately.
We do not need an AI label to do that. We use fluorescence detection.
While driving, a spot spraying system has to continuously detect, decide and spray. The shorter this process is, the faster the system can respond.
With WEED-IT QUADRO this happens in just a few steps:
The focus is therefore not on using as much computing power as possible, but on creating a fast connection between detection and application.
While AI is receiving a great deal of attention today, Rometron has been developing selective spraying technology since 1999.
WEED-IT is used worldwide by professional farmers and contractors. The technology has continued to develop over the years, but the basic principle remains the same: use a measurable property of living plants to determine exactly where spraying is required.
With WEED-IT precision spraying you can reduce the use of crop protection products by up to 95%, depending on factors such as weed pressure and application.
AI will play an increasingly important role in agricultural technology. That does not mean AI is automatically the best solution for every application.
For WEED-IT, the goal is to detect living plants quickly and accurately. That is why we use fluorescence detection. The sensors directly detect the fluorescence signal of chlorophyll and connect that detection to the spraying system.
This enables WEED-IT QUADRO to perform precision spraying at speeds of up to 25 km/h, during the day and at night, with detection on a 25 x 25 cm grid.
No AI just because it sounds good, but technology designed for what the system needs to do: detect quickly and spray precisely.
Curious how WEED-IT QUADRO performs on your fields? Request a demo and see fluorescence detection at work, day or night.
