[9rx]

> Lely is somewhat unique in that they're a robotics company rather than an agricultural machinery company that also makes some robots.

What equipment from the major agricultural manufacturers would you consider to be not robots these days? Even a simple tool like a field cultivator now employs robotics for things like keeping it at a precise depth, never mind the extensive robotics involved in more complex equipment.

There are some smaller companies still producing agricultural equipment that is not recognizable as a robot, but I'd consider that to be the exception rather than the norm.

[BotJunkie]

Personally (and to some extent, professionally) I make a distinction between robotics and automation. In robotics, I look for a distinct, physically embodied system that can make decisions based on its environment and alter that environment by changing its behavior. Automation is much more limited and requires a much more structured environment. But it's all a matter of perspective.

[9rx]

Fair to say that it is a matter of perspective, but by your perspective the cultivator is a robot, right? A field is far less structured than a barn, and the tool makes decisions about how to alter its behaviour and environment in a pretty grand and visible fashion. Lely products are much closer to being automation in comparison.

Perhaps a more pedantic take is that the cultivator is simply attachment for the actual robot, which is the tractor. A cultivator on its own is useless. In that vein, there is seemingly a difference. Each product Lely sells is the full solution. Whereas John Deere gives you a menu and you have to select which "toppings" you want on your robot.

But then that gives nod to Lely products being closer to automation than robotics again. Beyond choosing a product at a high level, you don't have to get into the nitty gritty details because they will always operate in a comparatively strict and consistent environment.