Amlan Balabantaray
"See-N-Till" Agricultural System PhD Candidate @ UNL MAARS Lab University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Amlan is developing an AI-driven weed control system to combat the rise of herbicide-resistant weeds like Palmer Amaranth, which threaten crop yields and farm profitability. His innovative approach combines vision-based AI with precision mechanical control through an agricultural robot that uses real-time image recognition to identify and target Palmer amaranth with minimal soil disturbance.
With the support of the Nebraska Innovation Fellowship, Amlan has designed, fabricated, and tested the “See and Till” system, which features a tilther assembly activated by a linear actuator to only engage when a weed is detected. By training the system with a deep learning model using over 10,000 field images, he plans to optimize its effectiveness and contribute to sustainable agriculture practices.
Notable Outcomes
Amlan has gratefully achieved many notable successes, including the Stout International Outstanding Graduate Student Award, the College of Engineering's Professional Development Fellowship, and first prize at UNL Biological Systems Engineering's "Lightning Pitch Competition". He is seeking to commercialize his work, and has been accpted as a PhD candidate for pursuing his "See-N-Till" Fellowship project further. He will be presenting this project and the many lessons learned at ASABE's upcoming international symposia in Canada later this year.
ABOUT AMLAN:
Amlan is a Ph.D. student in Agricultural Engineering with a passion for integrating robotics into farming to enhance efficiency and sustainability. His research focuses on developing autonomous systems and precision farming solutions that aim to revolutionize agriculture for a sustainable future and improve food security.
With a deep commitment to innovation in ag-tech, Amlan is driven to apply robotics to solve real-world challenges in agriculture, ultimately working toward creating smarter and more sustainable farming practices.