AssetID: 53251589
Headline: Fluorescent Robotic Seeds That Test The Soil Are The Future Of Agriculture
Caption: These fluorescent robotic seeds - sown by drones - could represent the future of 21st-century agriculture. Invented by researchers at the IIT-Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (Italian Institute of Technology) in Genova, Italy, the Acer i-Seed is designed to test the growing environment without harming the ecosystem. This soft robot, inspired by natural Acer seeds, uses luminescence to monitor soil temperature. Crafted from a biocompatible and compostable material, the Acer i-Seed is created using 3D printing technologies. The seeds can be distributed over vast areas and conduct remote terrain studies using a drone. The artificial seed mimics the aerodynamic behaviour of Acer campestre (field maple) seeds. These seeds, native to Europe, detach from the plant when mature, relying on their unique mono-winged aerodynamic design, allowing them to autorotate like a helicopter blade. The fluorescent artificial seed-like fliers are both eco-friendly and robust and can also be monitored via drone - using their fluorescent properties . While the current focus is on thermal sensing, future considerations include incorporating fluorescent particles sensitive to other environmental parameters such as humidity, CO2 levels, or pollutants.
Keywords: Fluorescent,Robotic,Seeds,Test,Soil,Future,Agriculture,Moving Materials,Science,Tech,Technology,Robots,Acer,i-Seed,Monitor,Temperature,IIT,Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia
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