| Description |
Re-planting a trillion trees is a potentially effective component of humanity’s fight against climate change [1]. Because tree planting can at times be either dirty, dull, or ever dangerous, there is a potential opportunity to have robots play a part in our efforts on this front.
Some of the aspects of the task that make it tiring for humans pose significant robotic challenges as well, though: traversing over rugged terrain that includes rocks and fallen logs, identifying spots in the soil suitable for plunging a spade and inserting a sapling. This project will address these challenges through examination of responsive control of a locomotion system and tool insertion system.
In the case of lack of lab access due to COVID, locomotion systems will be developed and tested in simulation, while other subsystems (graphical user interface, communications, digging tool) may be developed separately and integrated virtually online.
1. Bastin, J. F., Finegold, Y., Garcia, C., Mollicone, D., Rezende, M., Routh, D., ... & Crowther, T. W. (2019). The global tree restoration potential. Science, 365(6448), 76-79.
Core features
Able to locomote over rugged terrain
Controllable by a user at a remote location
Able to plant saplings in a variety of soils
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