A high-tech robot named Theo is revolutionizing the way Dutch tulip farmers combat disease in their fields. This boxy robot, named after a retired employee at the WAM Pennings farm, tirelessly patrols the tulip fields, checking each plant for signs of the tulip-breaking virus. Equipped with cameras and artificial intelligence, Theo is able to identify sick flowers and destroy them to prevent the spread of the disease.

Theo is just one of 45 robots patrolling tulip fields across the Netherlands as farmers gear up for peak season. The cost of the robot may be steep at 185,000 euros ($200,000), but farmers like Allan Visser believe it is a worthwhile investment. Visser, a third-generation tulip farmer, praises the robot's precision and efficiency in detecting sick tulips, a job that was previously carried out by human "sickness spotters."

Erik de Jong of H2L Robotics, the company behind the robots, explains that the AI model used by Theo is based on the knowledge of experienced tulip farmers. This allows the robot to accurately identify diseased flowers and destroy them with pinpoint accuracy. Even retired employee Theo van der Voort, who spent 52 years hunting for sick flowers, is impressed by the robot's capabilities.

As the tulip fields erupt into a riot of springtime colors, Theo and its fellow robots are on the front lines, ensuring that the flowers remain healthy and vibrant. With their advanced technology and dedication to precision agriculture, these robots are proving to be valuable allies in the battle against disease in the Dutch tulip fields.