FarmBot Taiwan User Group-FBTUG 造訪社團 » 用戶發文

Scientific Research Applications of Mini FarmBot

My name is Luciano Paulino Silva and I'm a Brazilian researcher working in the field of Nanobiotechnology applied to Agriculture. I would like to congratulate the FarmBot Taiwan User Group-FBTUG on the interesting approaches related to the absolutely outstanding platform Mini FarmBot for research, food sovereignty, commercial farming business, and beyond. Mini FarmBot is really innovative and original for agricultural scientists looking to broadcast their studies and I believe that we could share some common interests related to automation of plant science's laboratory practices. For the past few years, I observed that small-sized CNC farming machines like Mini FarmBot could offer a myriad of new possibilities for studies similar to those scientific projects that my team has developed in our research field. In fact, I observed that unprecedented CNC farming systems like your Mini FarmBot (and potential new advances related to new tools and sensors) could offer an outstanding level of possibilities for studies with plant models since they could offer a new range of applications, but mainly towards the development and emulation of highly reproducible and controlled experiments, and avoid or at least minimize undesired human and biotic/ abiotic factors. In addition, such new level of automation could allow the investigation of a larger set of variables (by using new sensors) and also experimental conditions at the same time through paralelization of the processes using multiple Mini FarmBots and the quality of the final results would be ensured. Thus, I believe that Mini FarmBot would be an amazing experience for scientists like those from my research team, in particular those scientists that would like to change paradigms. I have also to mention that I am the leader of the Nanobiotech Group for Sustainable Agriculture (Laboratory of Nanobiotechnology - LNANO at Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation - Embrapa) that is interested on frontiers of nanobiotechnology with sustainability. My team is formed by about 15 talented graduate young professionals (Biologists, Chemists, Physicists, Physicians, Agronomists, Pharmacists, Biotechnologists, and Environmental Scientists) and undergraduate students under my supervision that are self-motivated and have a strong passion for frontier science. Additionally, my research group always receive students in our lab to introduce Science and Technology to them - as a part of our nano-school project that goal is to introduce novel technologies gradually into the traditional classroom of children and teenagers. A small-sized CNC farming machine is undoubtedly a theme that it would be fascinating to them and I have recently cited that it would be possible to show them this process in action in the near future. I also believe that FBTUG' members consider that science/technology may also be a work of social inclusion and some of our nanobiotechnology researches perfectly fit this goal since we have projects like "Nanotechnology in the farm" or "Applications of nanobiotechnolgy for urban gardens". These approaches allow us to show for non-scientists that it is possible develop useful technologies in their own environments and using simple and inexpensive materials and devices. These strategies are part of our family farming initiatives and I have to say that the use of your Mini FarmBot offer a myriad of new possibilities that we have envisioned and we really would like sharing with you in some collaboration. My research team currently doesn't have the ability to fabricate our own robotic instruments and we are looking for collaboration with groups like yours that have are developing truly innovative solutions related to CNC machining. Indeed, I really would like to have the opportunity of collaborate with your team regarding the applications of your specialized CNC machine (Mini FarmBot) towards my researches and also contribute with you related to the development of this machine associated to its use in scientific research, in particular related to proof-of-concept experiments using your amazing device on agricultural nanotechnology field. I will look forward to the feedback of FBTUG' members and I will love discuss about all the possibilities for joint efforts.

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