The article is transferred from the 35 bucket WeChat public account Author: Hou Feifei
Weeding means controlling pests and diseases, maintaining the balance of the ecological environment of the farmland, and thus protecting the growth of crops. Effective weeding can reduce competition between weeds and crops, ensure that crops have access to sufficient nutrients and growth space, and ensure crop yield and quality.
In the past, weeding was usually done by hand, and the conventional spraying of herbicides, although it was possible to quickly control the growth of weeds to a certain extent, also brought many drawbacks. The excessive use of chemicals in herbicides not only causes serious pollution of soil and water sources, but also may enter the human body through the food chain, posing a potential threat to human health. Secondly, the broad-spectrum nature of herbicides makes the pesticides often not only act on the target weeds, but also may cause damage to the surrounding crops and beneficial organisms, and the long-term use of the same herbicide may also lead to the development of weeds resistance, and the weeding effect is gradually weakened.
In order to solve these problems, precision spraying systems were born. By using advanced artificial intelligence technology, the machine can accurately identify weeds, detect and spray them one by one. This not only greatly improves the accuracy of weeding, reduces chemical waste and pollution, but also effectively controls the growth of weeds without harming crops and beneficial organisms. However, due to the high cost, it is still difficult to promote it in agricultural production.
In 2017, Greeneye Technology was established in Tel Aviv, Israel. As an agritech company, Greeneye focuses on the development and delivery of AI-based precision spraying technology, which enables real-time identification and precise spraying of crops and weeds in the field through camera modules installed on spraying equipment.
What makes Greeneye so successful? Intelligent, accurate, adaptable, and efficient
When weeding, non-precision agriculture usually relies on traditional and more extensive methods, such as crop rotation and stubble, deep soil preparation, chemical weeding, etc. Although these methods can control the growth of weeds to a certain extent, they are often not targeted and cannot accurately identify and treat target weeds. If the dosage of chemical agents is not accurately controlled, it may also cause harm to crops and other non-target plants, causing environmental pollution and ecological damage.
Greeneye Technology's core technology is its AI-based Selective Spraying System (SSP). The system captures real-time images of the field through on-board cameras, combined with deep machine learning algorithms, to accurately identify and locate different species of weeds, and detect and spray plants one by one. Compared with traditional herbicide methods, SSP can significantly reduce the amount of herbicide, with an average reduction of more than 87%.
Pictured: Greeneye's precision spray technology Image source: Greeneye
When running in the field, the camera can scan up to one meter in front of the machine, which allows the technology to process the image and signal the selected nozzle for application when the boom passes by the identified weed. Once a weed is identified, the precision spraying system sends a command to the 144 sprayer nozzles equipped on the boom of the Greeneye Technology sprayer to send precise electrical pulses to spray the required amount of weed directly onto the weed, leaving the nearby crop unaffected.
For data collection, the boom camera detects the entire field with sub-millimeter resolution and then generates a detailed detection report to help farmers gain valuable information from the field. All the data collected in the field is optimized into a herbicide program based on unique field conditions to better assist farmers in their weeding operations. In addition, the system has additional functions such as identifying weeds down to the species level and fighting herbicide resistance, counting each plant in the field, identifying and preventing plant diseases and defects, etc., greatly improving the intelligence of weeding operations.
Pictured: Greeneye Technology Intelligent System Image source: Greeneye
In terms of adaptability and operational efficiency, agricultural workers need not worry. Greeneye Technology replaced the single-tank system on a regular sprayer with a two-tank system, allowing the sprayer to have two nozzle lines and reduce costs by precisely controlling the amount of residual herbicide used. And the equipment works seamlessly with commercial sprayers of any brand or size, which means farmers don't need to buy expensive new machines and incur new costs. There is also no need for extremely complicated learning to operate the device, with only a few buttons and a display, which is easy to use. In addition, the two-tank system sprayer is capable of operating around the clock at speeds of up to 25 km/h (12.4 mph), greatly improving spreading efficiency.
The endorsement of the interdisciplinary team has been favored by many financing institutions
Greeneye Technology's team is made up of experts from the fields of computer vision, artificial intelligence, agronomy, mechanical engineering, and business. They have a wealth of professional knowledge and practical experience, and are able to provide strong technical support and innovation motivation for the company. The company's founders, Nadav Bocher, DR. Itzhak Khait and Alon Klein Orback, both veterans of Israel's elite Sheldag Commando, have successfully led the development of Greeneye Technology with their leadership skills and innovative thinking.
图为:Greene Technology团队 图片来源:Greene
This team not only has strong R&D capabilities, but also pays great attention to market demand and user experience. In the event of a machine breakdown, Greeneye Technology's sprayer operators will provide a 24/7 "hotline" based in Israel to help diagnose and repair the sprayer from afar. The team has an in-depth understanding of the actual needs and pain points of agricultural production, and provides agricultural users with more efficient and environmentally friendly agricultural solutions through continuous technological innovation and product optimization.
Nadav Bocher, CEO of Greeneye, said: "We have installed a complete set of 'eyes' and 'brains' on the machine. The first commercial application to land today is the precise spraying of chemicals on weeds, but in reality, we can do a lot more with it, and there are a lot of exciting additional features that are emerging in this way. "From 2024 onwards, Greeneye's technology will not only be used to spray herbicides, but also to accurately apply other agricultural inputs, such as fungicides and micronutrients, to crops.
On April 17, 2024, Greeneye Technology received $20 million in funding to bring precision spray technology to life in the United States. The round was led by Deep Insight, with participation from Syngenta Group Ventures, JVP, Orbia Ventures, Eyal Waldman, Iron Nation, and Amol Deshpande. Back in December 2021, Greeneye Technology closed a $22 million funding round led by JVP. Other investors include Syngenta Group Ventures, the world's largest manufacturer of crop protection chemicals, AGCO, KDT, and others, leading agricultural machinery manufacturers. To date, Greeneye Technology has raised a total of $45 million.