automated cannabis farm employs robotic arms and AI to help marijuana industry grow

israel-based startup seedo turned heads when it started selling mini fridge-sized cannabis farms for personal use in 2017. with computerized optical systems and climate control, they promised cannabis ‘from seed to flower’ under controlled conditions in the comfort of your own home. now seedo wants to take it one step further with the announcement of what it calls the ‘world’s first automated cannabis farm‘, using AI-based technology and robotic arms to give a hand.

automated cannabis farm employs robotic arms and AI to help marijuana industry grow
video © designboom

seedo has plans to build a fully automated, commercial-scale cannabis farm using technology that can ensure consistent ‘pharmaceutical-grade’ buds year-round. the automated farm will be based in kibbutz dan, an agricultural community near the northern border of israel, which recently approved the export of medical marijuana.

images courtesy of seedo

seedo’s flagship product is a ‘grow fridge’. the device comes with a number of features including a sterile hermetic ecosystem and built-in cartridges that automatically release C02 during the photosynthesis phase. meanwhile, a mix of auto-adjust LED lighting, mineral sensors and a temperature gauge keeps the interior conditions at their optimum.

pairing this technology with a few new features, seedo envisions a series of stackable shipping container-sized units. inside each container, robotic arms manage the physical aspects of cultivation, cameras keep an eye on the operation, and machine learning software ensures optimal growing conditions.

each container is said to be capable of producing at least 326 pounds of dried buds per year. the startup expects the partnership with kibbutz dan to yield a total of four tons of dried cannabis bud during its first three years of operation. the project is expected to produce 14 tons of dry cannabis bud valued at NIS 86 million (just under $24 million). if successful, farms like this could help energise the marijuana industry wherever weed is legal.