Economy & Tech

AI Robots Revolutionize Rice Planting, Reduce Labor in Saitama Prefecture

Automated rice planting by AI-based robots in Saitama Prefecture is being tested as an effective measure for reducing labor in the aging farming population.

Published

10 months ago

June 29, 2023

Yasushi Kanematsu

Rice-planting robot performing automated rice planting using remote control operation in Kazo City, Saitama Prefecture, on June 1, 2023. (© Sankei by Yasushi Kanematsu)

Read the full story on Japan 2 Earth - AI Robots Revolutionize Rice Planting, Reduce Labor in Saitama Prefecture

The rice planting season is approaching its peak. In northern Saitama Prefecture, a group of agricultural producers researching smart agriculture recently demonstrated a robot rice-planting machine that utilizes artificial intelligence (AI).

The farmers are operating in the cities of Kazo, Gyoda, Hanyu, and Konosu in the prefecture. Those who have already begun using the rice-planting robot have reported a marked decrease in the level of fatigue associated with the farmwork.

Automated Rice Planting

The machine used in the demonstration was the Kubota Agri Robo NW8SA. Equipped with a total of eight obstacle detection sensors at the front, rear, left, and right, the vehicle is automated.

The Agri Robo has position correction capability based on linkage to GPS information and radio waves. Its system can correct for misalignment caused by slippage of the vehicle's tires due to uneven surfaces in the rice paddies, enabling automated rice planting with an error of 5 to 10 centimeters.

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(Read the article in Japanese.)

Author: Yasushi Kanematsu