Panasonic sponsors sustainable agriculture project

February 2022 News

Panasonic Industry has snapped up Gold sponsorship of ETH Zurich’s Robotic Weeding System (Rowesys) project and will assist the student team with engineering know-how as well as components and products from its portfolio.

With a vision of combining robotics and agriculture to develop an autonomous smart farming solution, it took the students of the Rowesys team only 10 months to build the prototype. The goal is to use the robot as a mechanical weed control device and drastically reduce the use of herbicides, resulting in a more sustainable farming method. “Innovative solutions for a sustainable future are ingrained into Panasonic’s philosophy of contributing to society. The idea and the commitment of the students involved in the Rowesys project convinced us right away to support these young talents,” says Daniel Prohart, global brand manager, Panasonic.

Cameras underneath the battery-powered and GPS-guided vehicle scan the field and the crops, allowing it to navigate through the rows and identify weeds. Thanks to small ploughs mounted on the back of the robot, appropriately christened ‘Rosi’, the roots of the weeds are pulled from the soil and dry out. As a result, the farmer can reduce the use of herbicides, which is beneficial for the crop and for the soil.

“New ideas, innovative solutions and a goal to increase sustainability – these three pillars are the common core values of Panasonic Industry and the Rowesys team. Therefore, we are very happy to engage in this partnership and are looking forward to working with the students of ETH Zurich,” concludes Alexander Schultz-Storz, division head, Cross Value Competence Department, Panasonic Industry Europe.

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