Google’s next project X is called Mineral

X’s project Mineral consists of two parts. First is the hardware, that is, the Plant Buggy, and the second is the software.

Google Mineral (Google)

Alphabet Inc's moonshot factory X has produced some of the most noteworthy products such as internet connectivity balloon Loon and self-driving car Waymo. Now, Alphabet Inc has shared details about its next project X -- Mineral.

“I'm pleased to share a new name: Mineral. We choose this name as an homage to the essential role minerals play in sustaining life on Earth,” Google wrote in a blog post.

X's project Mineral consists of two parts. First is the hardware, that is, the Plant Buggy, and the second is the software.

Project Mineral's Plant Buggy is a low-emission electric powered buggy that is fitted with solar panels. It comes in a variety of shapes and sizes so that it can adapt to fields with a range of different crops. This Plant Buggy comes with a GPS software that identifies the precise location of plants in the field. It also has sophisticated cameras and machine perception tools that can identify issues in the field and analyse plant traits.

By combining data collected by the Plant Buggy from the field, such as plant height, leaf area and fruit size, with environmental factors such as soil health and the weather, Mineral's software tools can help breeders understand and predict how different varieties of plants respond to their environments.

“By mapping and imaging plants in the field, growers can troubleshoot and treat individual plants instead of entire fields, reducing both their costs and environmental impact. Tracking how the plants are growing over time can help growers predict the size and yield of their crop, enabling them to make better yield projections,” Alphabet Inc wrote Mineral's website.