Intelligent Breeding Robot "Ji'r" Released in Embodied Intelligence Version
China's intelligent breeding robot "Ji'r", capable of autonomous cross-pollination, has been unveiled in a new "embodied intelligence" version. The upgraded robot can perform complex tasks including flower recognition and pollen collection.
The "Ji'r" intelligent breeding robot, developed in China and known for its autonomous cross-pollination capabilities, was launched in an "embodied intelligence" version in Beijing on September 4. This latest iteration of the robot is designed to handle complex agricultural tasks such as identifying individual flower parts, precise positioning, pollination, and the collection of phenotypic data.
During a demonstration, the "Ji'r" robot successfully pollinated tomato flowers. It utilized a pollen dispenser and a pollination pen, working with two robotic arms. The process involved collecting pollen and carefully applying it to the stigma of the tomato flower, with each pollination operation completed in under 10 seconds. A single collection of pollen is sufficient for approximately 50 pollination events.
Agricultural experts have facilitated the robot's operation by modifying crop morphology using biotechnology, ensuring that the pistil is exposed, which eliminates the need for manual intervention to access it. The robot is also programmed to navigate around obstacles like leaves and branches, accurately identifying target flower parts as small as a needle tip.
The "Ji'r" robot is a product of integrating biotechnology with artificial intelligence, developed by a team led by researcher Xu Cao from the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Its development was previously reported in the journal "Cell". This advancement is expected to significantly accelerate plant breeding processes and improve yield predictions.