Solar-Powered Robot Will Guard Your Home, Fertilize Your Lawn

If you’re not freaked out by the idea of a robot roaming around outside your house, you might be interested in Louisiana State University’s AgBot. The solar-powered multi-function robot can do everything from taking care of your garden to guarding your house at night.

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AgBot has the impressive ability to both fertilize soil and plant seeds. It even has a built-in GPS to map out the land and mark structures to ensure it doesn’t bump into them.

The robot has an impressive built-in security system, too—it has a night-vision camera on top of a 360 degree swivel, a high-frequency alarm system, and an advanced motion detector. If AgBot senses motion, it will take a picture of the intruder and e-mail you a photo.

AgBot is still very much a prototype—its battery only lasts for 4 hours, making it a weak security device. But AgBot’s programmers expect the robot to eventually use stronger motors that will lead to a longer life.

When the robot does go on sale, its price tag won’t be out of reach for most consumers. The prototype was built for only $2,000, so a commercial version can probably be produced on the cheap.

Photo Credit: LSU

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