cross-posted from: https://programming.dev/post/36230046

YouTube Video.

Let’s be honest: The current generation of robotic lawn mowers sucks. Basically all of these bots drive in a random direction until they hit the border of the lawn, rotate for a randomized duration and repeat. I think we can do better!

Therefore, we have disassembled the cheapest off-the-shelf robotic mower we could find (YardForce Classic 500) and were surprised that the hardware itself is actually quite decent:

  • Geared sensored brushless motors for the wheels
  • A sensored brushless motor for the mower motor itself
  • The whole construction seems robust, waterproof and all in all thought through
  • All components are connected using standard connectors, therefore upgrading the hardware is easily possible.

The bottom line is: The bot itself is surprisingly high quality and doesn’t need to be changed at all. We just need some better software in there.

  • newaccountwhodis@lemmy.ml
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    9 hours ago

    If you can’t find the time and motivation to just mow your fucking lawn you shouldn’t have one instead of deploying a fucking hedgehog shredder you lazy removed

    • sunbeam60@lemmy.ml
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      8 hours ago

      I’ve got four kids. I work 50-60 hour weeks. I travel for work. I’ve got a lawn. Yes I’ve got a fucking robot mower. One of the best buys I ever did. Anything that buys me 1.5hrs a week is worth its weight in gold.

      Maybe you’re just not the target market for robot mowers.

      • newaccountwhodis@lemmy.ml
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        7 hours ago

        Oh no my lifestyle gets in the way of my ecologically disastrous hobby so I made the hobby even worse by automating it.