Russia rejects accusations over EU plane jamming as fake
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A Chinese firm has launched what it claims is the country’s first 24/7 intelligent laser weeding robot, aiming to phase out chemical herbicides and cut agricultural pollution at its source.
Huagong Technology Industry Co., Ltd., based in Wuhan, unveiled its Hg LaserWeeder at a recent event in Hubei Province. The company describes the robot as a breakthrough in sustainable agriculture, powered by advanced data models and an Artificial Intelligence (AI) vision system that recognises and eliminates weeds while leaving crops unharmed.
Xiong Bian, lead AI algorithm engineer at the company’s research institute, said the robot uses a database covering thousands of crop and weed species. Its AI-powered vision system dynamically adjusts the intensity of its laser, selectively targeting unwanted plants.
“This robot is expected to replace chemical herbicides, known as the ‘number one soil killer,’” Xiong said.
Chemical herbicides have been widely used in agriculture for decades to control weed growth and boost crop yields. However, these substances often leave residues in the soil and water, contributing to environmental pollution and harming biodiversity.
Over time, repeated herbicide use can degrade soil quality, contaminate waterways, and pose risks to human health. Increasing concerns about these effects have driven demand for alternative weed management solutions that are less harmful to the environment.
The technology achieves a weed removal rate of more than 95%, with the company highlighting its potential to prevent chemical herbicide residues from polluting soil and water sources. The most advanced version of the robot features up to 32 laser heads, reportedly capable of destroying as many as 320,000 weeds per hour. This makes it four to eight times more efficient than traditional methods involving both manual labour and chemicals.
The robot’s recognition and targeting process is also notably fast, taking less than five milliseconds from capturing an image to eliminating a weed.
Ma Xinqiang, chairman of Huagong Technology, stressed the importance of innovation for high-quality growth in China’s agricultural sector.
“Building a new development paradigm requires strengthening innovation more than ever before,” he said, adding that the company will continue to increase investment in research, talent, and partnerships.
Algorithm validation trials have been completed in test fields across Yunnan and Heilongjiang provinces. With global pre-orders now open, Huagong Technology plans to begin mass production of the Hg LaserWeeder in 2026.
AnewZ has learned that India has once again blocked Azerbaijan’s application for full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, while Pakistan’s recent decision to consider diplomatic relations with Armenia has been coordinated with Baku as part of Azerbaijan’s peace agenda.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
A popular funicular railway car in Lisbon, the Gloria, derailed and crashed on Wednesday, killing at least 15 people and injuring 18 others.
The UK is gearing up for Exercise Pegasus 2025, its largest pandemic readiness test since COVID-19. Running from September to November, this full-scale simulation will challenge the country's response to a fast-moving respiratory outbreak.
A Polish Air Force pilot was killed on Thursday when an F-16 fighter jet crashed during a training flight ahead of the 2025 Radom International Air Show.
SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft successfully completed an initial test Wednesday to demonstrate a new capability that helps maintain the International Space Station’s (ISS) orbital altitude.
A Chinese research team has unveiled a prototype washing machine designed for use in space, joining a growing international push to solve one of the more mundane but pressing challenges of long-duration missions: laundry.
The world’s seven largest technology companies – Microsoft, Apple, Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, Nvidia and Tesla – collectively reported a net profit of $143 billion in the second quarter, representing a 27.6% increase year-on-year, according to their financial statements.
Billionaire Elon Musk filed a motion on Thursday seeking to dismiss a civil lawsuit brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which accused him of waiting too long in 2022 to disclose a significant stake in social media platform Twitter, later renamed X.
Ford is recalling more than 355,000 pickup trucks across the U.S. after a dashboard instrument display failure was found that may prevent drivers from seeing critical information such as vehicle speed and warning lights.
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