Mower Tech

Even the military has to mow grass

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, people of the Internet. I cannot thank you enough
for tuning in. It's time for another episode of everybody's
favorite podcast, the Lawnmower Versus sports Car Podcast, a show
dedicated to all things with motors and blades. It doesn't
get much better than that. I was walking the other

(00:20):
day through my home improvement store and I walked past
the lawnmower section, and it dawned upon me how ridiculously
expensive lawnmowers were. My next thought was, some of them,
I could probably find a at least halfway decent used
sports car. And then I had to think for a moment,

(00:40):
which I would rather buy a lawnmower or a sports car? Well,
which would you buy? Lawnmowers have some pretty ridiculous features.
These days, we're starting to see the advent of autonomous

(01:01):
and a I powered mowers. The rise of artificial intelligence
has revolutionized lawn care. In case you're still pushing your mower,
there are robotic mowers now performing complex mowing tasks with

(01:22):
minimal human input. These feature g p S navigation and
r t K precision. They are high end autonomous mowers
used to mow with centimeter level accuracy, eliminating the need

(01:44):
for boundary wires. Advanced robotic mowers create a digital map
of your lawn, learning its shape, slopes, and obstacles over time.
Some models adjust their cutting paddle is based on grass
growth rates as well. These autonomous mowers use lidar sensors

(02:09):
and ultrasonic detection as well as cameras. These AI powered
mowers recognize and avoid pets, toys, garden furniture in real time.
Many robotic mowers sync with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and
other smartphone apps, this allowing for remote start scheduling and monitoring.

(02:37):
Some models, like the Automower series by Huskvarna, uses built
in rain sensors to avoid mowing and wet conditions. With
rising fuel prices and environmental concerns, alternative energy sources are
changing lawn care. Some rome moors are fully solar powered,

(03:02):
using photo full take panels to charge themselves during the day.
The Huskvaronne Automower Solar hybrid pioneered this tech. Theoretical designs
propose hydrogen powered mowors that generate zero emissions while delivering

(03:25):
the same power as gas engines. Hybrid gas electric mowers
combined gasoline engines and rechargeable battery systems, improving efficiency while
reducing emissions. Kinetic energy recovery systems or kers use regenerative

(03:45):
braking technology similar to Formula one cars Thank you very Much,
to store energy when slowing down. Some laws aren't just
for cutting grass, their bill for speed and power. The

(04:07):
Honda Mean Mower V two, officially the world's fastest lawnmower,
packs a one hundred ninety horse power engine. It reaches
one hundred fifty plus miles per hour. Yes, lawnmower racing
is a real motorsport. Competitors modify standard ride on mowers,
boosting them to over sixteen miles per hour for racing events.

(04:31):
Extreme off road mowers include companies like the Altas make
tract mowars with caterpillar style treads for mowing on steep
slopes and rugged terrain. If you want a true air ride,
forget wheels. Some mower's float over the ground using air pressure.

(04:56):
Hover moors use a high speed fan that creates an
air cushion, allowing the mower to hover above the ground.
This removes the need for wheels, making them highly maneuverable
and great for uneven terrain. The flymo Turbolight and Honda's
hovermower are top examples of this technology. Some engineers speculate

(05:21):
about drone style flying mowers using quad copter technology to
mow lawns from above. For those who are tired of
sharpening blades, what if they were obsolete? Theoretical designs propose
using lasers or plasma arcs to cut grass instead of

(05:43):
metal blades. A high powered laser could instantly vaporize grass
at a precise height you had me at. Lasers plasma arcs,
similar to plasma cutters used in metalworking, could superheat and
disintegrate grass. That means no blades means no sharpening, means

(06:09):
no replacements or jamming from thick grass. The challenges here
are well energy consumption and heat management, as well as
cost remaining a major obstacle. Overkill is often an underappreciated achievement.

(06:33):
And I can't wait till my hover plasma mower arrives.
I think I see the Amazon truck now. Unfortunately, until then,
most mowers will require blade sharpening, but new designs self
maintain for a better performance. Some owers have a built

(06:56):
in grinding mechanism that sharpens blades as they spin. Sensors
detect grass thickness and adjust blade speed for an optimal cut,
and some feature multidirectional cutting blades. These are advanced designs
that have multi angle rotating blades, allowing for a cleaner

(07:19):
and more precise cut for those trying to finish the
job in a jiff. There is swarm mower technology available.
That's right, multiple small robotic mowers working together like a
colony of ants. Each mower communicates with others using machine

(07:41):
learning algorithms. The swarm divides up large lawns ensuring no
area is missed. When a mower runs low on power,
it automatically docks in another takes over. Huskavarna has developed
fleet solutions for commercial mowing. While multiple robotic mowers work
and sink, I'll check with my lawn guy. As lawnmowers

(08:08):
get smarter, they're also becoming harder to steal. If a
robotic mower leaves its designated area, the owner gets an
alert and can track it in real time. Some high
end mowers have kill switches that can be activated remotely.
Don't take my lawnmower, bro Future designs could include fingerprint

(08:32):
or facial recognition to prevent unauthorized use. Only I can
mow my lawn. Why settle for a standard mower when
you have a diamond encrusted one, or perhaps a gold
plated mower. Some luxury mower concepts include custom ride on

(08:54):
mowers featuring gold and silver trims. Some wealthy enthusiasts be
dazzled their mower controls with diamond encrusted steering wheels. There
are even jet engines on lawnmowers. Some people have modified mowers,
making them absurdly fast but completely impractical. Lastly, for today,

(09:26):
saved for lass for very specific reasons because probably the
coolest lawnmower ever. That's right. Even the military has lawnmowers.
Believe it or not, The military has grass they need

(09:48):
to cut it. These tactical mowers are used for mine clearing.
Some remote controlled armored mowers are designed to detonate land
mines in war zones while mowing grass. There are also

(10:12):
bomb disposal mowers. Certain EO D robots have been adapted
for mowing, making them useful for high risk areas. The
military is currently working on stealth mowing operations. I'm not joking.

(10:35):
The future designs could include quiet, drone powered mowers for
covert military base upkeep some final thoughts. Lawnmowers have evolved
from simple tools to high tech marbles with AI lasers,

(10:58):
hover tech, and even military hardened applications. Whether you're looking
for speed, luxury, or automation, the future of mowing is
getting wildly innovative. Folks. Until next time, I can't thank
you enough for tuning in. It's been another episode of
lawnmowers Versus sports Cars.