디지털 솔루션 제공업체인 지브라(Zebra Technologies Corporation)은 10월 18일(현지시각) 환경 제어 농업 스타트업인 히포 하베스트(Hippo Harvest)가 자사의 자율 모빌 로봇(AMR)을 성공적으로 통합해 기존 농산물 재배자보다 최대 92%의 물을 절약하고 비료 사용량을 55% 줄일 수 있다고 발표했다.

히포 하베스트는 첨단 식물 과학, 기계 학습 및 로봇 공학을 사용해 지속가능한 온실 환경에서 잎이 무성한 채소 및 기타 농산물을 재배하고 있다.

지구 온난화에 대처하기 위한 새로운 재배 방법을 개척하는 과정에서 히포 하베스트는 농작물을 생산하기 위해 얼마나 많은 물과 비료, 빛이 필요한지를 결정하는 시스템을 구축했다.

히포 하베스트는 온실 내부에서 지브라의 프레이트100(Freight100) AMR을 활용해 식물에 정확한 양의 물과 영양을 전달할 뿐만 아니라 농작물을 더 효율적으로 경작해 수확하고 있다. 지브라의 페치(Fetch) AMR은 온실 시설 주변에서 고르고 움직이는 일을 수행함으로써 작업자가 보다 전략적인 확동에 집중할 수 있도록 돕는다.

AMR은 생산과 온실 처리량을 개선하기 위해 기계가 알고리즘(Algorithms)을 학습하는 데 있어 필요한 데이터 수집을 위한 직접적인 연결고리로서 역할을 수행한다.

아이턴 마더-엡스타인(Eitan Marder-Eppstein) 히포 하베스트의 CEO는 "우리는 식량 공급과 농업 부문이 직면한 가장 큰 도전 가운데 일부를 해결하는 재배 방법을 개발하고자 지브라의 AMR을 활용하기로 했다"며 "천연 자원을 활용해 지속 가능하고 혁신적인 성장 프로세스를 개발하기 위해 지브라와 협력하게 돼 기쁘다"고 밝혔다.

히포 하베스트는 기업이 2040년까지 탄소 넷제로(Net-zero Carbon)에 도달하기 위해 아마존(Amazon)과 글로벌 옵티미즘(Global Optimism)으로부터 설립된 기후 약속(The Climate Pledge)에 서명했다. 이 회사는 천연 살충제만을 사용하며, 온실을 통해 채소의 유통기한을 늘리고 탄소 배출량을 줄이기 위해 전략적으로 소비자층 근처에 위치해 있다.

매튜 윅스(Matthew Wicks) 지브라의 제품 관리 부문 수석 이사는 "히포 하베스트는 지브라의 AMR을 온실 내부에 배치해 농작물을 보다 효율적으로 재배하고 물을 절약해 음식물 쓰레기를 줄이는 데 도움을 줬다"며 "이 로봇은 구성 및 배포가 용이하므로 반복적인 이동부터 식물 수확 및 데이터 수집 등 복잡한 활동에 이르기까지 다양한 응용 분야에 사용될 수 있다"고 말했다.

윅스 이사는 "히포 하베스트가 지브라의 최첨단 기술 솔루션을 적용해 새로운 방식으로 작업하고, 지속 가능한 방식으로 재배된 농작물을 고객에게 제공할 수 있어 기쁘다"고 덧붙였다.

[원문보기]

Hippo Harvest Cuts Water Use by 92% with Zebra Autonomous Mobile Robots

Sustainable farming startup deploys Zebra Technologies’ robotics automation and machine learning solution in greenhouses to reduce water consumption, food waste and land use

LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill. – Oct. 18, 2023 – Zebra Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: ZBRA), a leading digital solution provider enabling businesses to intelligently connect data, assets, and people, today announced that Hippo Harvest, a California-based controlled environment agriculture startup, has successfully integrated Zebra’s autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) to grow greens, enabling the company to save up to 92% of water and use 55% less fertilizer than conventional produce growers. Hippo Harvest is using advanced plant science, machine learning, and robotics to grow leafy greens and other produce in sustainable greenhouse environments.

Pioneering new growing methods to combat global warming, Hippo Harvest built a system that uses machine learning to determine how much water, fertilizer and light is needed to produce its crops. Inside its greenhouses, Hippo Harvest is leveraging Zebra’s Freight100 AMRs to farm its plants more efficiently, from delivering precise levels of water and nutrition to plants, to delicately harvesting the company’s crops. In addition, Zebra’s Fetch AMRs are assigned picking and moving tasks around its greenhouse facilities so workers can focus on more strategic activities. The AMRs also serve as a direct link for data collection for the company’s machine learning algorithms to make improvements in production and greenhouse throughput.

“We found exactly what we needed with Zebra’s AMRs to develop growing methods that address some of the biggest challenges facing our food supply and the agriculture sector,” said Hippo Harvest CEO Eitan Marder-Eppstein. “We’re excited to continue collaborating with Zebra Technologies as we work to develop transformative growing processes that are sustainable and make the best use of our natural resources.” 

Hippo Harvest signed The Climate Pledge, a commitment founded by Amazon and Global Optimism for businesses to reach net-zero carbon by 2040. The startup uses only natural pest controls, and its greenhouses are strategically located near consumers to increase the shelf life of its greens and reduce carbon emissions.

“Hippo Harvest has deployed Zebra’s AMRs inside its greenhouses to help farm plants more efficiently, save water and reduce food waste,” said Matthew Wicks, Senior Director of Product Management, Zebra Technologies. “Our robots are easy to configure and deploy, which allows for a variety of applications from repetitive pick and move, to more complex activities such as harvesting of plants and data collection. We’re excited to help Hippo Harvest apply Zebra’s most advanced technology solutions to work in new ways and deliver fresh, sustainably grown produce to its customers.”

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Hippo Harvest is leveraging Zebra’s AMRs for precise irrigation portioning and delivery of nutrition to plants, saving up to 92% of water and using 55% less fertilizer than conventional produce growers.

Zebra’s AMRs are executing most of the company’s production tasks, including harvesting, transportation, watering and nutrient deliveries, and serve as the direct linkage for data collection for machine learning and AI to increase production and greenhouse throughput.

Hippo Harvest signed a commitment to reach net-zero carbon by 2040. Hippo Harvest does not use conventional pesticides and uses advanced plant science, robotics and AI for crop management to improve the sustainability and productivity of its operations.

Learn more about Hippo Harvest’s pioneering approach to sustainable farming with Zebra’s AMRs deployment here and watch the video version here.

ABOUT ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES

Zebra (NASDAQ: ZBRA) helps organizations monitor, anticipate, and accelerate workflows by empowering their frontline and ensuring that everyone and everything is visible, connected and fully optimized. Our award-winning portfolio spans software to innovations in robotics, machine vision, automation and digital decisioning, all backed by a +50-year legacy in scanning, track-and-trace and mobile computing solutions. With an ecosystem of 10,000 partners across more than 100 countries, Zebra’s customers include over 80% of the Fortune 500. Newsweek recently recognized Zebra as one of America’s Most Loved Workplaces and Greatest Workplaces for Diversity, and we are on Fast Company’s list of the Best Workplaces for Innovators. 

[출처=지브라(Zebra Technologies Corporation)(https://www.zebra.com/us/en/about-zebra/newsroom/press-releases/2023/hippo-harvest-cuts-water-use-by-92-with-zebra-autonomous-mobile-robots.html) / 2023년 10월 18일]

[번역 = 방호윤 기자]