Friday, January 6, 2012

Here come the robot farms


Japan is planning a futuristic farm where robots do the lifting in an experimental project on land swamped by the March tsunami, the government said Thursday.
Under an agriculture ministry plan, unmanned tractors will work fields where pesticides will have been replaced by LEDs keeping rice, wheat, soybeans, fruit and vegetables safe until robots can put them in boxes.
Carbon dioxide produced by machinery working on the up to 250-hectare (600 acre) site will be channeled back to crops to boost their growth and reduce reliance on chemical fertilizers, the Nikkei newspaper said.
Read it at Raw Story
Japan plans massive investment in futuristic robot farm
By Agence France-Presse
Once the six-year lease period is finished, the government plans to urge local farmers to consolidate their farmland under the farming corporations, the paper added.
Here's an elaboration at The Huffington Post
Japan Robots To Farm Tsunami-Damaged Zone

3 comments:

NeilW said...

It's started.

The paradox of productivity is upon us.

Joe said...

Isn't this a great thing? Instead of toiling for 8 to 12 hours a day, we can all work 4 hours a day and actually enjoy life, spend time with family and friends... This doesn't have to be bad, but it can be if we let it.

Matt Franko said...

Joe,

Right!