China unveils AI-powered robot designed to help farmers breed better strains of wheat
China has unveiled a smart robot prototype designed to assist with wheat breeding in the latest step in its ongoing drive to advance agricultural technology and bolster food security. The robot made its public debut at a recent seminar on wheat breeding, state-run China Science Daily reported on Friday. Traditional wheat breeders rely on a wealth of accumulated experience to identify and select…
China recently showcased an AI-powered robot at a wheat breeding seminar, marking a significant step forward in agricultural technology and food security initiatives. The robot, unveiled at a seminar conducted by state-run China Science Daily, aims to streamline the laborious and subjective process of selecting superior wheat strains from thousands of hybrid offspring.
Traditional breeders rely on manual assessment, which is time-consuming and prone to human error. However, this new robot, standing over 2 meters tall, is set to change the game. Equipped with advanced navigation, high-definition cameras, and vision algorithms, the robot exhibits autonomous judgment similar to that of a human breeder.
During trials, it successfully identified and examined individual wheat ears using its robotic arm and eight micro-cameras, generating detailed quantitative data such as grain count and ear length. The robot's intelligence is built upon a vast repository of breeder experience, obtained by planting 2,000 diverse wheat genetic materials across various environments.
These plants were photographed, and breeding specialists assessed the images, feeding the data into the system to create an intelligent decision-making model for the robot. This model, in tandem with its sophisticated imaging system, was employed for preliminary screening of field plants, and then used to mark crops for human inspection.
This innovative technology aligns with China's broader agricultural transformation plan, aiming to bolster technological advances in the sector and increase their contribution to farm output.
Written by urgent.news from Reuters Business via SCMP's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
