A Pangolin-Inspired Robot Deposits Tree Seeds Into the Holes it Digs

Foraging pangolins naturally dig in the ground, so why not have them plant trees at the same time? Training them to do so would be quite challenging, which is why a high school student from California named Dorothy created a pangolin-inspired robot to handle the digging and planting instead.

Called the Plantolin, this bio-inspired robot is the newest winner of the annual Natural Robotics Contest, organized by the University of Surrey and sponsored by the British Ecological Society.

Overview of the Competition for Nature-Inspired Robots

In summary, the competition encourages participants from around the globe to submit their concepts for nature-inspired robots that can contribute to environmental sustainability. The winning idea is developed into a working prototype by one or more collaborating research institutes.

However, for the Plantolin, the University of Surrey served as the partner. Other collaborators include Queen Mary University of London, the Royal College of Art, EPFL Lausanne (Switzerland), the Technical University of Munich, and Alexander Humboldt University (Germany). The previous winner was a robotic fish designed to filter microplastic particles from water.

Mimicking Nature

Similar to how a pangolin waddles on its two hind legs, the Plantolin balances on two wheels in a Segway-like manner. Each wheel is driven by an electric quadcopter drone motor. The long tail is raised to act as a counterweight while the robot moves, but tilts down for leverage when it halts to dig.

The digging is performed by two motorized front legs. These legs feature claws that remain locked in position while scooping up soil but bend back passively when pulled forward for another scoop.

Efficient Seed Dispersion

In fact, after digging the hole, the Plantolin moves over it, dropping a yew tree “seed bomb” (essentially a small cluster of seeds and soil) into the hole as it passes. However, these seed bombs are loaded into a dispenser through an opening on top of the robot and transported by an internal conveyor belt to its “rear” for release.

“The restoration of forests by planting more trees is crucial for the sustainable development of our planet,” states Dorothy. “Since pangolins often dig in the ground, I believed a planter robot inspired by their behavior would feel very natural.”

To conclude, the Plantolin was created by Dr. Robert Siddall, a roboticist at the University of Surrey, who elaborates on the robot’s functionality in the video below.

Read the original article on: New Atlas

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