Open Weed Locator (OWL) architect Guy Coleman from Western Australia (WA) has been named one of evokeAG 2024’s Future Young Leaders ahead of the Asia-Pacific region’s premier agrifood event in Perth next year.
“Guy Coleman is an inspiring Future Young Leader, whose enthusiasm for ag-tech opportunities and the broader agricultural industry is wonderful to see,” WA Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis said.
OWL combines simple green detection algorithms and 3D printing to develop precision weed control devices that can be attached to robots, vehicles, and bicycles, allowing the public to access open-source hardware and software for DIY weed detectors.
More farmers are now able to develop their own site-specific weed control ideas, thanks to OWL’s open-source approach, which minimises innovation barriers.
Farmers across Australia, North America, South Asia, Europe, and South Africa can now utilise OWL, while there is growing interest in the technology in South America.
Coleman has also worked on developing lasers and robots to control weeds.
He will speak at the two-day evokeAG 2024 event, which is supported by the WA Government and has attracted more than 1,600 delegates from more than 20 countries.
“I look forward to hearing more from Guy at evokeAG. 2024 and seeing how he uses this unique occasion to further his community-led vision,” Minister Jarvis added.
evokeAG 2024’s Future Young Leaders program offers an avenue for Coleman to inspire others to discover opportunities in agri-tech.
Minister Jarvis noted the countdown to evokeAG is well underway and expressed her excitement about showcasing WA agrifood tech innovations, sharing knowledge, and exploring possibilities that will advance agricultural industries.
