YARDWORK SHORTCUT
Edmond resident launches AI-powered, robotic lawn service
An Edmond resident has launched an AI-powered, robotic lawn service
In pop culture visions of the future, small robots scurry around performing discrete, automated tasks for their human owners.
Much of that vision is a reality for those who can afford the artificial intelligence technology, like the commonplace Roomba and other AI-powered devices that clean or perform simple tasks. And now more of that future has arrived in central Oklahoma, at least when it comes to cutting grass.
Edmond businessman Tom Pearson launched a local MowBot franchise, where home and business owners can rent the services of a small, quiet robot that maintains their lawn without much interaction from more sentient beings.
Pearson, who' sp re viously worked in information technology, was drawn to the franchise because he was already looking for a robotic mower.
“When I came across MowBot, I just kind of liked the story,” he said. “I liked the fact that it's up-and-coming in the United States.”
He also liked how automa ted, battery-powered mowers are more environmentally conscious than traditional machines that run on gasoline.
With his company, MowBot of Central Oklahoma, Pearson will deliver the device to customers and setup the MowBot's territory and charging station. From there, the robotic mower will work nearly continuously.
“The big difference between that and a traditional mower is that I don't mow your yard. I maintain your yard,” Pearson said .“The mower live sat your house and it mows all the time. It's always mowed and it always looks good.”
Mowbot can operate at night and in the rain. It' s much quieter than other lawnmowers for two reasons: It runs on a battery and uses smaller blades. Gas-powered lawn mowers can reach 90 decibels, while the M ow Bots its at around 60 dB, roughly the same as a normal conversation (between humans).
A combination of guide wire sand GPS tell the MowBot where togo. The built-in AI learns the yard's contours and obstacles, and remembers which areas grow faster, and thus need more attention.
“As it learns your yard, it will change its mowing schedule to mow the areas that grow faster more often than the areas that don't grow as fast,” Pearson said.
A typical residential yard can cost anywhere between $85 and $200 per month. A single MowBot can operate on up to three and a half acres of land, and Pearson also offers a fourwheel-drive mower that can tackle more uneven terrain.
For now, Pearson is focusing on serving metroarea locations.
Another perk advertised by MowBot is the reduction of cross- contamination. For those who like a pristine lawn with a specific grass species, MowBot users won't have to worry about grass seeds from other customers hitching a ride on lawn equipment.
“Because t he mower stay sin the yard, the chance of cross-contamination is much less,” he said.
MowBot is designed to shut down if someone picks it up, and will emit an alarm if moved outside its predefined boundary.
The company can be found at www.mowbot. com/central-ok.