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The world's first robot-run farm will harvest 30,000 heads of lettuce daily
Tech Insider ^ | January 27, 2016 | Leanna Garfield

Posted on 01/27/2016 7:04:30 PM PST by PittsburghAfterDark

The Japanese lettuce production company Spread believes the farmers of the future will be robots.

So much so that Spread is creating the world's first farm manned entirely by robots. Instead of relying on human farmers, the indoor Vegetable Factory will employ robots that can harvest 30,000 heads of lettuce every day.

Don't expect a bunch of humanoid robots to roam the halls, however; the robots look more like conveyor belts with arms. They'll plant seeds, water plants, and trim lettuce heads after harvest in the Kyoto, Japan farm.

"The use of machines and technology has been improving agriculture in this way throughout human history," J.J. Price, a spokesperson at Spread, tells Tech Insider. "With the introduction of plant factories and their controlled environment, we are now able to provide the ideal environment for the crops."

(Excerpt) Read more at techinsider.io ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: agriculture; labor; lettuce; produce; robot; robotics; robots; terminator
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To: GraceG

The sales moto when they start marketing in the USA:

“Move over Jose, here comes R2D2!”


21 posted on 01/27/2016 7:46:23 PM PST by biff
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To: PittsburghAfterDark

So just how badly do we need the (illegal) unskilled laborers if something like this exists?

Sure, lettuce will likely cost a bit more (maybe 10% more), but many thousands of people can be sent home - a win for America.

Doesn’t solve everything though...it will take a lot more technology to have robots building homes...so still lots of semi-skilled people needed - ideally guest workers?


22 posted on 01/27/2016 7:47:29 PM PST by BobL (Who cares? He's going to build a wall and stop this invasion.)
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To: corkoman

Well, there go all those “$15/hr lettuce-picker jobs in the Yuma Valley” that Sen. Juan McPain was so anxious to maintain...


23 posted on 01/27/2016 7:49:35 PM PST by okie01 (The Mainstream Media: IGNORANCE ON PARADE)
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To: PittsburghAfterDark

One way to prevent the E. coli contamination, anyhow.


24 posted on 01/27/2016 7:51:04 PM PST by Mrs. Don-o ("Everyone is ignorant, only on different subjects." - Will Rogers)
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To: BobL

There are a lot of pre-fab and modular housing designs that can be pre-fabbed room by room, floor by floor, design by design. A great deal of semi-skilled labor can be eliminated from home building but obviously not all of it.

The thing is as more demands are made on labor wages by artificial (Government.) means the more this stuff will come to market and forever change economic sectors where it isn’t now a concern.


25 posted on 01/27/2016 7:52:42 PM PST by PittsburghAfterDark (The American media: We do what the Soviet media did without the guns to our head.)
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To: GraceG

One thing about robots, they don’t urinate and defecate in the fields while they pick crops.


26 posted on 01/27/2016 8:00:11 PM PST by Mastador1 (I'll take a bad dog over a good politician any day!)
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To: corkoman
"So unless robots poop I suppose less E Coli in the lettuce? Chipotle may yet survive."

Manure is present in all farming. Granted, farmers choose as to which method of processing the manure goes through, before they buy it or otherwise use it.

Even human manure is used, especially in east Asia. Today, though, it is properly processed to safeguard against bad germs and parasites if used very soon (e.g. proper composting in the correct temperature range).

Humanure Handbook, 3rd Edition

In most climates, it takes at least two years for human manure simply buried shallowly in earth to be safe enough as fertilizer for vegetables consumed by humans. For cattle manure, it must be in the field for at least six months (earlier in some climates).


27 posted on 01/27/2016 8:01:53 PM PST by familyop ("Welcome to Costco. I love you." --Costco greeter in "Idiocracy")
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To: PittsburghAfterDark

I was thinking about that too. There are ways to cut back on the labor required, way back - but the houses won’t be the same as can be built today as you’re limited by what you can ship.

But maybe backing off of McMansions and the wannabes is a good thing for the country?


28 posted on 01/27/2016 8:16:22 PM PST by BobL (Who cares? He's going to build a wall and stop this invasion.)
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To: corkoman

China is Turning Fecal Sludge Into ‘Black Gold’
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-01/how-the-chinese-are-turning-fecal-sludge-into-black-gold-


29 posted on 01/27/2016 8:22:27 PM PST by familyop ("Welcome to Costco. I love you." --Costco greeter in "Idiocracy")
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To: SaveFerris

great movie huey, duey and lewy i believe.


30 posted on 01/27/2016 8:48:12 PM PST by kvanbrunt2
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To: PittsburghAfterDark

cool its hydroponic i’ve got a garden in my attic tomatoes mostly now and i have lettuce towers being built. the sub zero killed the beans and cucs.


31 posted on 01/27/2016 8:51:28 PM PST by kvanbrunt2
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To: kvanbrunt2

cool its hydroponic i’ve got a garden in my attic tomatoes mostly now and i have lettuce towers being built. the sub zero killed the beans and cucs.


Garden in your attic? Wow! Impressive!! Do you have some amazing grow lights or just great skylites!

Sorry about losing your beans and cucs, but wow...tomatoes and lettuce?! I am impressed. What type of towers are you making? Hydroponic?


32 posted on 01/27/2016 8:54:34 PM PST by Freedom56v2
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To: familyop

Manure is present in all farming. Granted, farmers choose as to which method of processing the manure goes through, before they buy it or otherwise use it.>>>> read the article these are hydroponic farms no dirt manure etc.


33 posted on 01/27/2016 8:59:08 PM PST by kvanbrunt2
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To: PittsburghAfterDark

Vertical indoor farming. I wonder what the power, maintenance and tech costs + high tech labor are compared to field grown and manual labor.

Might be good for Japan where land is scarce and no cheap labor but here in the US?


34 posted on 01/27/2016 9:05:46 PM PST by Rebelbase (A new batch of harpies has hatched in time for the 2016 election.)
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To: SaveFerris

Exactly what I was thinking, this technology would be great for use in space habitats. Although I would hope more than lettuce would be on the menu.


35 posted on 01/27/2016 9:10:58 PM PST by roadcat
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To: bushwon

have 2 1000w ballasts. i usually run 1 metal halide. and sodium for flowers. i have done seeds in the basement for the last two years. it’s great when there is 1000 feet to snow outside and i can sit under the 1000w metal halides.
https://www.facebook.com/k2reme/posts/817785224949942
but decided to use the space and grow food year around. i have one little tomato so far. i am running plumbing up to the attic so i don’t have to lug 5 gallon pails of water and nutrient up from the bathroom


36 posted on 01/27/2016 9:11:29 PM PST by kvanbrunt2
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To: bushwon

What type of towers are you making? Hydroponic?>>>
sorry didn’t answer this question. yes the towers are aeroponic. i’m trying to get them set up but i have to move the insulation bags i have up there. the system is built with 4” pvc and small 2” elbows. the problem is they leak so i need to glue them up. i was hoping not to do that. the reservoir is a sump pump bucket from home depot about 30 gallons. i can chain many columns using two pumps and that is the key. internally i have spray emitters. i will publish this but i may try to patent the design.


37 posted on 01/27/2016 9:27:17 PM PST by kvanbrunt2
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To: PittsburghAfterDark

There are a lot of jobs that are being done by low skilled workers (as example, agriculture) or semi-skilled workers (as example, construction). Automation will virtually eliminate such jobs. As anyone come up with ideas how these uneducated and lowskilled/semi-skilled workers can find employment? Deporting all the welfare leeches from Mexico and the Middle East would be a good start, but the American education system produces dumber graduates every year that are unemployable.


38 posted on 01/27/2016 11:43:45 PM PST by MasterGunner01 ( Barbara Daly Danko)
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To: PittsburghAfterDark; al baby; Albion Wilde; Allegra; BufordP; EveningStar; Gefn; GunsareOK; ...

DANG!


39 posted on 01/27/2016 11:53:22 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks (Terrorism, the thing that shall not be named by the MSM)
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To: kvanbrunt2

Had a client who grows lettuce on a hydroponic farm. The only people he needs are part time workers to pick and package his product. He is coining money.


40 posted on 01/28/2016 3:36:48 AM PST by Jimmy Valentine (DemocRATS - when they speak, they lie; when they are silent, they are stealing the American Dream)
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