Key Takeaways
- Carbon Robotics has launched the world’s first Large Plant Model (LPM) for plant detection and identification in agriculture.
- The LPM is trained on 150 million labeled plants across crops, weeds, climates, and growth stages worldwide.
- The model enables farmers to deploy laser weeding in new fields and crops within minutes.
- A new Plant Profiles feature allows real-time model adaptation directly from the operator interface.
- The LPM underpins Carbon Robotics’ broader Carbon AI platform used across its autonomous products.
Carbon Robotics Introduces Large Plant Model for Global Agriculture
Carbon Robotics has announced the launch of the world’s first Large Plant Model (LPM), a new artificial intelligence model designed specifically for plant detection and identification in agricultural environments. The company describes the LPM as the most advanced AI model developed for agriculture to date, trained on a dataset of more than 150 million labeled plants.
The LPM is built to support rapid deployment of Carbon Robotics’ LaserWeeder™ systems across different crops, soil types, climates, and growth stages. According to the company, farmers can begin laser weeding new fields or crops within minutes, without lengthy setup or retraining cycles.
“When our robots can understand any plant in any field immediately and adapt behavior in real-time, farmers immediately get maximum value from the machines,” said Paul Mikesell, Founder and CEO of Carbon Robotics.
Carbon Robotics Builds a Global Data Flywheel
The Large Plant Model is trained on data collected from Carbon Robotics’ global fleet of LaserWeeder units operating daily in commercial fields. As the machines work, they continuously capture and label new plant data, which is fed back into the system to improve model performance over time. The company describes this process as a compounding data flywheel that strengthens detection accuracy and decision-making across all deployed units.
The LPM serves as the foundation for Carbon AI, the decision-making system that powers Carbon Robotics’ products, including the LaserWeeder and the Carbon ATK (Autonomous Tractor Kit). Carbon AI processes real-time plant and field data to support plant identification, precision weed removal, navigation, and adaptive behavior in varying field conditions.
Plant Profiles Enable Real-Time Customization
Faster Model Adaptation in the Field
Alongside the LPM launch, Carbon Robotics introduced Plant Profiles, a new feature available to all LaserWeeder customers. Plant Profiles allow operators to customize model behavior for specific crops, weeds, or field conditions by selecting just two to three images within the iPad Operator App. The system then immediately adapts its behavior in real time.
David Faircloth, Farm Manager at Bland Farms, said the feature has already shown value in commercial operations. “We use plant profiles in our Vidalia Onion seed beds, transplants, and direct seeded onions. This has been a game changer for us,” he said.
Carbon Robotics is showcasing the Large Plant Model and related technologies at Fruit Logistica in Berlin and World Ag Expo in California, as growers continue to seek solutions that reduce labor dependence, limit herbicide use, and improve crop consistency and yield.
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