Rewom clipping grass along the east side of the Administration Building.
If you’ve recently passed by the east side of the Administration Building, you probably noticed the latest addition to the University’s collection of worker robots, quietly maneuvering around trees and plantings as it clips the grass. In keeping with the naming custom that gave us Temoc the comet and the fleet of Tobor delivery robots, this new mower robot has been dubbed Rewom. The little machine is still being tested, but results so far are promising.
Rewom is a Husqvarna Automower® 550 robotic lawn mower. At less than 30 inches long and weighing less than 30 pounds, the little robot is designed to maintain an 1.25 acre area, cutting down grass at a rate of over 2,000 square feet per hour. Between the coarse tire patterns on its wheels and tilting carbon-steel blades, this machine was designed to cut grass at up to a 45 degree slope.
Rewom recharging.
The robot can communicate over cellular and bluetooth frequencies. It uses both buried guide wires and satellite GPS [Global Positioning System] to keep track of where it needs to mow, plus an array of onboard sensors to help Rewom perform its job safely –including a lift sensor, a tilt sensor and an ultrasonic proximity sensor. UT Dallas landscapers can give the machine its overall directives or intervene directly via a mobile app, and Rewom teaches itself to adjust its cutting patterns for differently-shaped lawns and varied growing conditions.
There are several arguments in favor of making this robotic mower a permanent member of the University’s robot staff: So far, the condition of the lawn under its continuous trimming compares favorably to the grass being clipped on a mowing schedule. It can mow for about 41/2 hours, return to its charging station for about an hour, then get back to mowing, over and over. The machine runs on a lithium-ion battery, so unlike other mowers, it doesn’t use fossil fuels, doesn’t expel greenhouse gases, and doesn’t make much noise; Connecting its charging station to a solar panel may also be worth exploring. An entire herd of these robots roaming through campus could be managed and have their work reviewed by considerably less groundskeepers than the ones now spending time driving regular lawn mowers, freeing up human workers for more complicated gardening tasks.
When you see any of our Sustainability or Landscaping & Grounds staff around campus, please let them know if you think Rewom is making the cut!
Landscaping & Grounds maintains a pleasant outdoor environment for the UT Dallas community, producing all seasonal color in the greenhouse from seed, as well as making all mulch and compost using collected debris from across campus.
The Office of Sustainability’s mission is to engage the UT Dallas community as a catalyst and champion for environmental stewardship and social responsibility while fostering a culture of sustainability evident in all aspects of the campus experience.
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