Rowbot
Case Studies
Carnegie Robotics’ capabilities are broad and deep: perception, positioning, motion and path planning, power, computing, manipulation, and mobility/platform design. Customers partner with us to apply one or more of these capabilities to solve a particular problem; to convert an existing platform into an autonomous system; or to create a custom-designed, mobile robot.
Carnegie Robotics serves as the early phase technology arm for an agricultural startup, Rowbot Systems LLC. Rowbot is commercializing a concept to fertilize row crops with a fleet of small robots. Deployed devices operate between crop rows to apply nitrogen fertilizer when the crop can most benefit. A single operator oversees the fleet and performs maintenance and routine support functions. Rowbot partnered with CRL for access to a strong technical team that was able to build a fully operational concept demonstration system in under 8 months.
A 30-inch standard corn row spacing constrained the platform to envelop and required CR to design a 22 inch wide, mid-body steered, custom vehicle that stores the liquid nitrogen in low tanks that double as the chassis structure. Powered by a 13 hp diesel engine, the system moves at 4 mph through the cornrows applying nitrogen at the plant base. A front-mounted MultiSense SL camera provides the 3D information to guide the system autonomously through the cornrows.