Taking care of plants and crops is a hard task since they are static, and you and other machines have to move around and provide for their basic needs. The task becomes even more challenging when the farmers and growers have to tend to each part of the crop or tree with their own hands. This strange new approach sees farming of plants inside autonomous hollow spheres that can move around the area on their own providing the plants inside with much-needed water and sunlight. This may sound absurd for some and scary for many as it literally gives walking ability to the plants, it is the first piece of autonomous handling of vegetation we have probably seen in our lives.
Here is the video from the researchers of Bartlett College of Architecture from University College London:
“Electro-physiological sensing of the state of individual plants collectively and democratically controls decision-making of the orientation of the structure and its mobility.”~ Interactive Architecture
Now each plant has different needs. Some require water daily and lots of sunshine to grow properly, while others only need water every other week and don’t like direct sunlight. What this autonomous system does is that it understands the unique requirements of each plant and locomotes to another place to fulfill that requirement when its need arises. But, for practical reasons, giant rolling balls of vegetation might not be the best idea especially around cities, but this does show how the future of farming will appear for us. The sensors used in this sphere could be very useful for farmers.
Giving plants a brain like this could allow them to adjust to suitable stimulus just like their moving counterparts. This could revolutionize farming as now they will know where it is best to grow crops and maximize yield. But, this could also mean more competition for suitable situations just like animals.
So what’s your take on this? Let us know in the comments section.