by
Kelly Richardson, All About Lawns Columnist
Lawn mowers that automatically cut the grass and compact the clippings. A robotic mower that is not only remote controlled, but solar powered. These aren't ideas from a futuristic landscaping show. They're products being developed, marketed and sold that are changing the concepts of what lawn mowers can be.
Why Lawn Mowers Had to Change
For pretty much the same reason all products and processes are changing--to be respectful of and responsible with the environment. Early generation mowers emit too many noxious fumes, burn oil and gasoline for power, and produce harmful levels of noise pollution.
According to CNET news, the Environmental Protection Agency passed stringent regulations, set to take effect in 2010 and 2011, to curb smog-causing hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxide, and other air pollutions.
Lawn Mowers of the Future, Today
Well, they're actually lawn mowers of the present. These two models are prototyped and ready for market. As reported on two sites, Tuvie Designs of the Future and the International Business Times respectively, these two mowers should have homeowners salivating in the aisles.
- Lawn mowers by Muwi. Using GPS technology, the Muwi innovation lawn mower gauges the entire size of the land and automatically cuts the grass. Then, an inner compartment compresses the clippings into solid circular blocks for easy removal.
- Sun-powered robotics. The Automower SolarHybrid by Husqvarna is a fully robotic lawn mower partly powered by the sun and uses no gas or oil. The company plans to launch the sale of these mowers at the 2008 US Green Industry and Equipment Expo.
In terms of lawn care, the future isn't in the near distance. It has arrived.
Sources
CNET
International Business Times
Tuvie
Kelly Richardson has obsessive compulsive lawn disorder and is
afflicted with the need to share his knowledge with the world. Kelly
writes lawn columns for a variety of home and garden magazines and
e-zines.
