IIT Kharagpur's Latest Robot Can Detect, Cure Plant Diseases in Big Breakthrough

In a major breakthrough, the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, has designed a robot that is capable of detecting plant diseases through camera-captured image analysis. Professor D K Pratihar, who is leading the innovative project, said, “Our device can detect the plant diseases using camera and image analysis and consequently remove it. Further use of such a device instead of manual operation of spraying pesticide will protect the farmers from related probable health hazards.” “We will soon resume the final assembly of the robotic system and field testing as we are recovering from the present COVID-situation. “The serial manipulator will have dexterous workspace, making it capable of spraying the pesticides from the top, bottom and various sides of the plant, which may be difficult to achieve utilising the widely-used drones,” said Professor Alok Kanti Deb, Department of Electrical Engineering.