Open Source Farming Robot • Hacker News Board

Re: Open Source Farming Robot

#221

Post by NilMostChill » Sun, Aug 04, 2024, 1:44 PM UTC

lukas099 wrote: post #209

NilMostChill wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Nature isn't perfect and has disadvantages compared to us. That's assuming that we are somehow outside of nature. > We don't have to invent ex post facto explanations for why something is the case in nature or why there is some un-intuitive reason as for why the natural way is better. We don't have to , no , but we do , because that's how we learn. Nobody was claiming the "natural" way was better, just that it migh…

> That's assuming that we are somehow outside of nature No it isn’t. You know what they meant, you are just one-upping them on a technicality in a way that doesn’t advance the discussion at all.

> No it isn’t.

Yes, it is.

> You know what they meant.

I have clearly stated what i think they meant.

They specifically said "disadvantages compared to us." that heavily implies ( if not outright declares ) an us vs them.

It seems you have a different interpretation, I'd be interested to hear what that is if you don't mind ?

> you are just one-upping them on a technicality in a way that doesn’t advance the discussion at all.

If you don't see how what i said was related to the discussion then we probably aren't going to agree on what constitutes a technicality.

Re: Open Source Farming Robot

#222

Post by NilMostChill » Sun, Aug 04, 2024, 1:45 PM UTC

jannyfer wrote: post #110

NilMostChill wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cup_(unit) . American legal cup ? metric cup ? Canadian cup ? or one of the other ones. Even if you narrow it to just the roughly the US you still have 4 + metric , so 5 different options. and that doesn't even account for people just using the cup they have to hand. It's not a rant at you, it's frustration with non-specific, arbitrary units.

WAIT. US cups and metric cups are different?

Technically yes and that confusion is exactly my point.

Re: Open Source Farming Robot

#223

Post by username135 » Sun, Aug 04, 2024, 1:46 PM UTC

r2_pilot wrote: post #37

SoftTalker wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Doesn't rain fall on the leaves as much as the soil?

Isn't the point of being smart human beings is that we do things better than what occurs in nature?

That assumes that we are better at doing things than nature is. I dont know if im sold on that.

Re: Open Source Farming Robot

#224

Post by d_burfoot » Sun, Aug 04, 2024, 1:46 PM UTC

I would love to contribute to something like this for cattle ranching. Track your herd with a mapping app, analyze the cows' vital signs, estimate how much land you need for grazing, etc.

Re: Open Source Farming Robot

#225

Post by torlok » Sun, Aug 04, 2024, 1:53 PM UTC

schleck8 wrote: post #142

torlok wrote: post #106

This is a Juicero of farming. The whole setup is easily replaced with a raised garden bed and a drip hose. Hearing about this a few years back, I was hoping it would at least do some weed control, but no.

> The rotary tool features a 24 volt DC motor, interchangeable implements, and an adjustable motor angle allowing FarmBot to perform light duty weed whacking, soil surface milling, and drilling operations.

I'd expect either a camera setup to find and kill weeds, or at least a basic weeder that sweeps the soil and avoids the vegetables the bot planted, same as you'd do on an organic farm. Instead what you get is an attachment you have to fiddle with and manually point towards the weeds. It's a toy.

Re: Open Source Farming Robot

#226

Post by OscarCunningham » Sun, Aug 04, 2024, 1:58 PM UTC

pebm wrote: post #196

James_K wrote: post #176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Each person owning their own farm is orders of magnitude less efficient that one large farm serving many people.

From what I recall, it depends on your definition of efficiency. Large farms are more efficient in terms of mass of produce per unit of labour but less efficient in terms of mass of produce per unit area.

That explains something I was puzzled about recently. How the Amish can keep buying land for their famously many children, while using less modern technology than their competitors.

Re: Open Source Farming Robot

#227

Post by bagels » Sun, Aug 04, 2024, 2:01 PM UTC

pydry wrote: post #194

James_K wrote: post #176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Each person owning their own farm is orders of magnitude less efficient that one large farm serving many people.

This is probably not true for a lot of produce with a limited shelf life. If you factor in wastage and the expensive supply chain logistics for things that spoil quickly it's probably cheaper to grow them closer to the point of use, especially if you can keep down labor costs with automation. Tastier and more nutritious too.

Farmers get their inputs much cheaper than I do, especially water. Water is essentially free compared to residential rates at about 100x cheaper.

Re: Open Source Farming Robot

#228

Post by torlok » Sun, Aug 04, 2024, 2:02 PM UTC

prattatx wrote: post #164

Maxion wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is indeed a juicero of farming. It costs 4 grand for something that can handle a single garden bed. This is not suitable for even small commerical growers, they'd need hundreds of these things. All commercial growers in my latitude start by sprouting their plants indoors, using e.g. soil blocks. Very little is direct sown. If you practice no-till, weeding isn't even that big of a task. This thing definitely does n…

Value for me is to scratch the zombie apocalypse itch. One feature request is some form of animal and pest protection. Squirrels and cardinals eat a majority percentage of the veggies in my raised bed here in Austin. I think some bats eat the vegetables as well but that’s difficult to validate.

How does it scratch that itch. This thing can plant seeds and water the plants. You can just run a hose through your raised bed and have a timer on your water valve. This thing won't grow food for you. If you're worried about the apocalypse, then start researching how seeds are produced, because your apocalypse garden plan will probably die right there.

Re: Open Source Farming Robot

#229

Post by hengheng » Sun, Aug 04, 2024, 2:07 PM UTC

My retirement project is going to be this but at larger scale.

Remove the tires from two old bicycles to run them on rails, build a gantry between them mounted to seatposts and handlebars. Probably drive it with chains on winches for robustness.

Use movable wall elements so that the pick and place machine can set up both shade and increased illumination. Maybe have portable rain protection too. Maybe deploy close-up UV and IR lamps.

I'd like to know the max size that a single gantry can serve, see how high its utilization can be.

My guess is that it all can pay off once it's big enough. I just don't know where that point is. 100ft long? 200ft? 300? And 20ft wide?

Re: Open Source Farming Robot

#230

Post by znpy » Sun, Aug 04, 2024, 2:10 PM UTC

getpost wrote: post #30

It sill looks like the software is written by people who don't know how to care for plants. You don't spray water on leaves as shown in the video; you'll just end up with fungus infestation. You water the soil and nourish the microorganisms that facilitate nutrient absorption in roots. But, I don't see any reason the technology can't be adapted to do the right thing.

> you don't spray water on leaves as shown in the video

That’s pretty much what happens when plants get “watered” naturally though… I’m thinking about rain of course