FarmBot: Open Source CNC Farming

What is a FarmBot? 

The FarmBot is an open-source CNC farming robot. This means that the code required to operate and customize the FarmBots are free and easily accessible for everyone. CNC machines use a three coordinate system, moving in X, Y, and Z directions. Across the top of the bed is the X and Y direction and Z coordinates are those that move the FarmBot tools up and down. Using these coordinates and an easy to use coding system, the FarmBot is able to plant seeds, water plants, disrupt weeds, and remember where plants are located in the bed. Information and photos from the FarmBot website (https://farm.bot/).

Why Does CNMG have a FarmBot?

FarmBots provide a hands-on opportunity for students interested in learning more about coding, robotics, farming, and how they intersect.

The Future of Automated Farming

As the importance of finding long lasting farming solutions for a growing population increases the interest in automated farming has also grown. Many farms have irrigation systems that can run at scheduled intervals and tractors are able to use GPS systems to chart their path through a field. In greenhouse production, many aspects have become even more automated. Conveyor belt production styles are increasingly popular and controlled environment agriculture dominates some parts of the industry. There have been a lot of recent advances in farming technology that have changed the face of agriculture. These changes are likely to continue for the foreseeable future.

 

  Solar Power

What is Solar Power?  

Solar power is typically used to refer to the use of solar panels to power houses or other buildings. While this is one very common use of solar power there are many more uses. Some homeowners design their houses to take advantage of passive heating through large windows inside rooms to cut heating costs during the winter. Small solar panels can clip to a backpack and charge your phone while you hike. Solar powered coolers and ovens can make spending time outdoors easier. While many of these examples were things that can be done by the individual, there are many global applications as well. Many governments are investing in solar power to supplement use of the grid and as an eco-friendly solution to increasing power demands. There are an increasing number of businesses focusing on switching from traditional power systems to more solar based systems. Below is an example of a business using extra space on their roof to reduce (and in some cases eliminate) their reliance on the traditional electrical grid.  

Solar panels are made of layers of cells of silicon wafers. The sun’s energy, in the form of light, is absorbed by these cells which produce an electrical current when the light hits it. This becomes electricity, which is used to power all sorts of things, such as homes, cars, lights, and in the case of the garden, coolers and robots.

What Kinds of Solar Power Does the Garden Use?  

In the garden today, there is a solar panel that helps power our FarmBot. This decreases the amount of electricity we pay for and lessens our environmental impact.   

The newest solar powered solution within the garden is the cold storage system. This system features a solar panel and a solar table that transfer energy to two different coolers to ensure that produce stays fresh after it is harvested. Additionally, the garden uses a solar oven. This has two heating methods, one that uses passive solar radiation and one that uses a solar panel or other source of electricity. The passive method uses mirrors attached to the oven to reflect sunlight and cook food. The cooler and the oven will be used for educational purposes in the garden to teach children about solar power and how it works.

The Future Of Solar Power

Currently, there are field trials testing the use of solar power irrigation in agriculture. This could decrease the yearly cost of power for farmers. It would also allow farmers who lack access to the electrical grid in their country to use electricity powered irrigation, increasing yields and therefore profits in marginal lands (farms which often barely make enough in one year to cover the cost of start up in the next).  

Progress is being made on industrial and individual use of solar power as well. More and more people incorporate solar into their own homes and businesses. With this new rise of power separate from the electrical grid comes new legislation and other legal considerations as well. Apart from legal considerations, another important aspect of solar energy moving forward is research.  

The current lifespan of solar panels is between 25 and 35 years, after which their electricity generating capacity decreases significantly. Solar energy research includes the research of new material usage in solar panels, energy efficiency research, and solar racking, or placement solutions. Over the next few decades, the lifespan of solar panels is expected to increase significantly. This will benefit future electricity generation, mitigating future climate change, and aiding future human populations.  

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