Segway Navimow introduces AI technology to protect hedgehogs from robotic mowers

To address the danger posed to hedgehogs by robotic lawnmowers, Segway Navimow has introduced new technology designed to detect and avoid small animals. Because hedgehogs tend to roll into a ball when threatened rather than fleeing, they are particularly vulnerable to the rotating blades of automated mowers.

At the IFA in Berlin, the company presented its H5 Pro model, which utilizes a 'VisionFence 360°' system. This system combines three AI-powered cameras with Lidar and a thermal infrared sensor. The thermal sensor is specifically intended to detect warm-blooded animals even in darkness, fog, or rain, or when a hedgehog is curled up among leaf piles.

Upon detecting an animal, the robot is designed to stop its blades immediately and recalculate its route. Additionally, the company’s app allows users to set nighttime operating bans and designate 'wild corners' as permanent no-mow zones. This development follows increasing local restrictions in Germany, such as in Brandenburg, where several municipalities have banned the nighttime use of robotic mowers to protect wildlife.