If you ’re tired of hear tech clause overt with “ like an sequence flat out ofBlack Mirror ” , then we have bad news for you : we ’re doing it again . Walmart has filed16 pageswith the US governing that outline six patents process towards farm automation and it ’s legit the secret plan fromHated in the Nation .
If all go to plan , a fleet of drone bee could very well be on the purview – and you thought adoor - opening move dogwas nerveless .
Technically called “ pollination drone " , the autonomous machinelike bee could help offset losses because of declining bee populations by using sensors and cameras to channel pollen from one plant to another .
But that ’s only one patent . In plans for the other five , Walmart also adumbrate how to supervise crop damage using motorcar vision to track , spot , and identify pests and act as new - eld “ scarecrows or shiny devices ” to shoo off off annoying razzing .
cite inefficiency of craw dusting , another patent of invention delineate plans to spray pesticides in a way that targets harvest rather than the blanket approach used today . “ chemical substance spraying of crops is expensive and may not be look upon favourably by some consumers , ” scan the letters patent .
The patents were filed last fall , but it was just uncovered by CB Insights , who say the retail giant could be doing it to salvage costs by “ vertically incorporate its intellectual nourishment provision chain ” and carry off crop yields more effectively . While it ’s still ill-defined , some outlets excogitate that the discount grocer might have plans to grow and control more of the nutrient it sell .
It seems like a logical next step deliberate Walmart justannouncedplans to expand its delivery service to more than 800 stores , do more than 40 percent of American households . Then again , maybe the $ 80 billion corporation simply require to do a bit of commodity in the public .
Somescientists , however , say that while there may be potential for bee trailer , we should work to protect the biodiversity that we still have rather than simply replace it with machines .
Bees pollinate almostone - thirdof the food we feed , but have been decease at unprecedented rate in tumid part due tocolony collapse disorder , although case have decline in the last five years .
According to the patent , bee declines lead to rock-bottom fertility , biodiversity , and yield of crop .
In 2013 , Harvard first introduced “ RoboBees ” that vanish and hover in midair , but they had to be impound to a power source . researcher said they could be used in craw pollination , hunt and rescue missions , surveillance , gamey - resolution weather , and clime and environmental monitoring . Today , RoboBees can now carry a battery the path worker bees carry pollen – just like inBlack Mirror . The laggard canswimand evenstick to surfacesusing still electricity .
But even Harvard has n’t figured out a way to remotely control their electronic insects – something Walmart ’s patents design to do .
[ H / T : CB Insights ]
