Is this what lawn care will look like in the near future?
'CyberGuy': Is this what lawn care will look like in the near future?
Electric Sheep Robotics has introduced an all-electric autonomous robot named Verdie to perform edging, trimming and debris-blowing. Kurt Knutsson has the details.
Imagine a future where the hum of lawn mowers and the rustle of leaves being raked are sounds of the past, replaced by quiet and efficient robots. With the invention of Electric Sheep Robotics’ Verdie, the era of back-breaking yard work and coordinating with landscaping services could be over. This AI-powered bot doesn’t just trim the edges; it’s a whiz with power tools and a master at blowing away debris.
AI-powered Verdie landscaping robot (Electric Sheep Robotics) (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)
A new era in yard maintenance
Electric Sheep Robotics, based in San Francisco, has been revolutionizing the way we think about garden maintenance. Their Robots-as-a-Service rental model has been a game-changer, but their recent acquisitions of traditional outdoor service providers signal a bold move towards dominating the large-scale outdoor maintenance market.
AI-powered Verdie landscaping robot (Electric Sheep Robotics) (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)
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Tackling labor shortages head-on
In a bid to tap into the lucrative $1 trillion outdoor maintenance market, Electric Sheep is phasing out gas-guzzling power tools and replacing them with their fleet of emission-free robots. This not only addresses environmental concerns but also provides a solution to the labor shortages plaguing the industry.
AI-powered Verdie landscaping robot (Electric Sheep Robotics) (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)
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The brain behind the bots
At the heart of Electric Sheep’s operation is ES1, a generative AI training model. By simulating photo-realistic parks and lawns, ES1 equips the maintenance bots with the intelligence to navigate real-world challenges, from dodging obstacles to escaping gopher holes.
AI-powered Verdie landscaping robot (Electric Sheep Robotics) (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)
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Powered by Nvidia and learning on the go
Designed to run on Nvidia’s Jetson platforms, ES1 allows for the entire policy to be trained on a single desktop GPU. What’s more, the system continually evolves, learning from real outdoor scenarios to enhance its pre-trained knowledge pool.
AI-powered Verdie landscaping robot (Electric Sheep Robotics) (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)
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Verdie is the star of the show
Currently, ES1 is the driving force behind a fleet of 40 robot mowers across America. And soon, it will be powering the garden bot Verdie. With reinforcement learning and a suite of common power tools at its disposal, Verdie is set to revolutionize outdoor maintenance.
AI-powered Verdie landscaping robot (Electric Sheep Robotics) (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)
Electric Sheep’s vision for a robotic future
With a variety of electric tools already tested and stereo cameras for spatial awareness, Verdie is well on its way to joining outdoor maintenance crews safely. Its self-balancing, articulating wheeled platform features six degrees of freedom, ensuring precision in every task.
AI-powered Verdie landscaping robot (Electric Sheep Robotics) (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)
When will Verdie be rolled out?
Electric Sheep will add the AI-powered Verdie landscaping robot to its automated outdoor maintenance solutions from the second quarter of 2024.
AI-powered Verdie landscaping robot (Electric Sheep Robotics) (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)
Kurt's key takeaways
It’s clear that Electric Sheep Robotics’ Verdie is not just a leap forward for garden maintenance; it’s a giant stride towards a greener, more efficient future. So, next time you think about yard work, remember, Verdie’s got it covered – and it’s doing it with an eco-friendly wink and a robotic nod.
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Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on "FOX & Friends." Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.
