This adorable little Italian farm robot packs a radioactive punch. ICARO X4 helps the country’s famous vineyards fight harmful fungi and mold by delivering UV-C radiation.
Developed by Italian equipment manufacturer Maschio Gaspardo, the ICARO Designed to determine the best time to treat crops to prevent overgrowth. Onboard weather stations and “locally trained” weather pattern algorithms.The important thing is that ICARO can do it without it Use of harmful chemicals and pesticides.
ICARO X4 is a technology product comprised of 16 patents, each with unique features. The key element of the robot is a large foldable UV-C emitting panel that simply passes a few centimeters from a leaf and emits radiation to illuminate the plants to be treated. When plants are exposed to specific wavelengths of UV-C light, they trigger biological mechanisms that stimulate the plant’s immune defenses. UV-C rays also break down the DNA of pathogens such as powdery mildew, downy mildew, and botrytis, preventing their development on plants.
Maschio Gaspardo via World Phila
The ICARO robot is equipped with UV-generating light panels on each side between the axles that extend like wings (Icaro, get it?).
Once in place, the “wings” are lowered onto the vine, stopping a few inches from the leaf for optimal treatment (irradiation). According to the manufacturer, each ICARO robot can protect up to 15 hectares (approximately 37 acres) of vineyards from fungi and mold, potentially reducing the use of chemical fungicides on farms by 70%.
Maschio Gaspardo ICARO X4
The ICARO X4 is powered by an electric motor and can be fitted with two cylinders. The Kohler diesel motor acts as a range extender when the battery is low. This is an important feature that allows the robot to operate continuously for up to 72 hours (3 days) during the summer months when mold and mildew are prevalent.
The company showcased the ICARO There isn’t. Each ICARO comes with a price tag of 115,000 euros.
Electrek’s view
Reducing the use of pesticides is an important step towards long-term sustainable agriculture. What if you could do that with an electric farm bot that also happens to have an extremely adorable range? Very nice. The chances of it irradiating a random Italian wall lizard and turning it into some sort of giant Godzilla creature are also probably minimal…right?
FTC: We use automated affiliate links that generate income. more.