Ecological Robotics
Brendan Harmon &
Hye Yeon Nam
Hello.
I am Brendan Harmon.
And I am Hye Yeon Nam.
We are presenting a novel method
for autonomous planting.
Ecological Robotics
We have developed a process for 3D printing with seeds.
By extruding a seeds in mud,
we can print complex, computational planting patterns.
While we tested this process in the lab
with an extruder mounted on an industrial robotic arm,
we plan to deploy it in the field
using unmanned ground vehicles.
With field robots
-- like the rover pictured here --
landscapes could be
designed computationally
and planted autonomously.
Autonomous planting promises
new ecological and aesthetic opportunities.
Robots in Architecture
Autonomous brick laying
Weaving tensile structures
Assembling timber frames
Constructing complex formwork
3D printing
Etc…
Architects have been experimenting with
methods for autonomous construction.
They have developed robotic processes for
brick laying,
weaving tensile structures,
assembling timber frames,
constructing formwork,
and 3D printing materials such as
concrete, metal, and mud.
Robots in Landscape Architecture
Aerial Sensing
Autonomous Planting
Autonomous Mowing
Autonomous Earthmoving
Landscape architects
have also been experimenting with robots.
They have developed methods for
autonomous earth-moving, planting, and mowing.
Through these experiments,
architects and landscape architects
have been exploring the novel
creative, material, tectonic,
performative, and aesthetic potential
of robots.
Pasted-Based Robotic Planting
Our process for autonomous planting
is unique in its precision.
We use a robotic system
to extrude seeds in a paste
of clay, planting media, and water.
By extruding a paste we can
print computationally generated patterns
with precision.
Implementation
We use a linear actuator ram
to extrude the paste.
The extruder is controlled
by an Arduino microcontroller
and mounted on
an industrial robotic arm.
We use the Machina library
for Grasshopper
to program the robot and the extruder.
Capabilities
Computational patterns
Microtopography
High precision
High germination rate
Our process for autonomous planting
can print computational patterns precisely.
Because it prints a paste,
it builds microtopography.
Because the seeds
are already in soil as a paste,
they have a high germination rate.
Computational Planting Design
We can print
algorithmically generated planting patterns.
Here are patterns
generated from procedural noise --
from cellular,
cellular gradient,
Perlin fractional Brownian motion,
and Perlin billow noise.
We could also generate patterns
from cellular automata,
space filling curves,
and other algorithms.
Procedural Noise Prints
Initially we tested our process in the lab,
printing in small trays.
We experimented with mixes of seeds
in different patterns.
Here, for example, is
a print based on Perlin noise.
Living Typography
Robotic planting as living typeface
To test the precision of our process,
we printed letterforms.
Here is an example.
As the robot prints,
the paste extrudes fairly smoothly.
We formulate the paste carefully,
balancing plasticity
and growing conditions.
As the seeds germinate,
seedlings sprout out of paste,
their roots growing into the ground below.
Echo
Robotic planting as musical interface
With the musician Ka Hei Cheng
we transformed a 3D printed planting design
into a new musical instrument.
We embedded capacitive touch sensors
in the soil to transform the plants
into a living interface for
sonic performance.
Touch the plants plays a sample
from a sound palette
of environmental recordings.
Field Experiment
We also conducted a field experiment.
Field Experiment
Our grasses grew vigorously;
albeit too vigorously for the scale
of planting pattern we tested.
Future Work
Deploy on unmanned ground vehicles
Integrate machine vision & sensors
Develop new methods for autonomous planting
Design algorithmic planting patterns
Conducted controlled field experiments
To scale up, we will deploy our
planting system on a field robot.
We will integrate sensors onto the robot
so that we can account for
topography while printing
and monitor plant growth afterwards.
We will experiment with other
methods for autonomous planting
such as seed hoppers.
Eventually we plan to conduct
a controlled field experiment.
Field Robotics
Clearpath Warthog UGV
This is our new unmanned ground vehicle.
It has real-time kinematic GNSS,
a robotic arm, and a lidar module.
We will integrate an extruder
onto the arm and start planting.
Conclusion
Ecological performance
Iterative, adaptive planting
Algorithmic aesthetics
With autonomous planting,
we can design for ecological performance,
plant iteratively and adaptively,
and develop new aesthetics.
Resume presentation
Ecological Robotics
Brendan Harmon &
Hye Yeon Nam
Hello.
I am Brendan Harmon.
And I am Hye Yeon Nam.
We are presenting a novel method
for autonomous planting.
