Florarobotica Robotic Plants – May Influence the World of the Urban Farming Future?

Artificial intelligence may be teaming up with plants in the not-too-distant future says a multidisciplinary research group spanning several EU countries. Although we may see plants and technology as being opposite ends of the spectrum between nature and science, the group argues that perhaps a symbiosis between the two could result in robotic plants that will build the cities of the future.

Is the Idea of Robotic Plants Far-Fetched?

The researchers are the first to admit that their idea sounds like “science fiction,” but the group behind Florarobotica says that the concept may not be as far-fetched as it sounds. While on the one hand, we have an ever-increasing focus on technology in society, there is also a move towards returning to nature. Green cities with parks, gardens, green roofs and living walls are already a major trend. They believe it’s time to see what happens when nature and technology are brought together.

The Idea Behind the Concept

Plants may not be very good at thinking or moving about, but they have capabilities no machine could emulate. They grow, using energy from the sun, plant nutrients from the soil and carbon dioxide from the air. They also have “tropisms” or plant movements. We see this whenever plants grow towards the light or when climbing plants send out questing tendrils in search of support.

Plants may not be very good at thinking or moving about, but they have capabilities no machine could emulate. They grow, using energy from the sun, plant nutrients from the soil and carbon dioxide from the air. They also have “tropisms” or plant movements. We see this whenever plants grow towards the light or when climbing plants send out questing tendrils in search of support.

What if we could guide these growth movements using intelligence from machines? What would such robotic plants be able to do? Florarobotica is exploring this idea with funding from the EU-Horizon 2020 Future and Emerging Technologies Proactive Action.

Top Thinkers from Multiple Disciplines Create Intellectual Symbiosis

Although the idea sounds so strange that we may be pardoned for thinking that moon-madness has been at work, we would have to do a double-take when we see the caliber of the experts combining their knowledge to make this research possible. The multi-disciplinary team behind the robot-plants consists of robotics specialists, molecular and cellular biologists, zoologists, computer scientists, environmental sensing experts, mechatronics specialists, and architects from top academic institutions around Europe.

The future of agriculture is here. Researchers are growing robot-plant biohybrids. pic.twitter.com/TmaSKf6jY0

— Futurism (@futurism) 5. Dezember 2016

Referring to the diverse terminologies these disciplines use, a team member comments: “We all speak different languages and use totally different approaches; so we can talk a lot to each other, but we don’t always understand each other. We had to learn this.” This diversity will be behind any advances the team is able to make: “Together we have all the knowledge we need for this project, but individually, we only know a little of the picture.”

What Would Plant-Robots Actually Do?

The research group already sees several possible future applications for its revolutionary plant-robot symbiosis. Cities could be grown instead of built, buildings could repair themselves when damaged, and perhaps living, thinking plant robots could prepare the way for a Mars colony too. The robots would support and care for the plants, guiding their growth, and using the internet to stay connected to their human masters. The association between robot and plant would be a truly symbiotic relationship with the two elements growing together in a co-dependant, self-organized system.

Although the group has made considerable progress with its plant sensors, the researchers are as yet unsure of what the end-result will be. Perhaps there will only be limited plant-robot uses. On the other hand, plant-robots may yet change the world. The future, it seems may just be greener than we ever could have imagined, and having a “house plant” may become a concept to be taken literally.