A new European satellite will use machine learning to provide rapid, low-cost information on soil conditions to enable smarter agriculture. The project is a model for what novel sensors and artificial intelligence technology can do in a vehicle no bigger than a shoebox.
Edge computing is a fashionable buzz-phrase for the technique of shifting the processing power away from the server farms of the internet and out to where the data is being collected. According to some, edge computing is the next great tech revolution, and in the case of satellites, where communications bandwidth is severely limited, it could be transformational.
The Intuition-1 satellite program will provide soil data to drive European precision agriculture projects, which involve applying fertilizer only when and where needed rather than treating an entire field. Precision agriculture is both more economical and easier on the environment — the catch is that it requires detailed information about soil conditions on a small scale. At present, establishing levels of soil nutrients in sufficient detail involves taking samples from multiple locations and sending them to a laboratory for analysis. This typically takes about three weeks.
The newly passed infrastructure bill could lead to a boom in solar production requiring a lot more land, including farmland. But research is showing solar panels might actually help grow some crops.
The World Food Programme (WFP), the UN’s food assistance arm, outlined how $6.6 billion in investments might prevent 42 million people in 43 countries from becoming hungry. In a tweet outlining the plan, WFP President David Beasley singled out Musk, the world’s wealthiest individual by far.
The farming industry is using way too much energy both for its own and the Earth’s sake. To put it in numbers, agriculture uses approximately 21 percent of food production energy, which equals 2.2 quadrillions of kilojoules of energy each year. What’s more, about 60 percent of the energy used in agriculture goes toward gasoline, diesel, electricity, and natural gas.
That’s where agrivoltaics come in. A system where solar panels are in… See more.
Imagine a world in which smart packaging for supermarket-ready meals updates you in real-time to tell you about carbon footprints, gives live warnings on product recalls and instant safety alerts because allergens were detected unexpectedly in the factory.
But how much extra energy would be used powering such a system? And what if an accidental alert meant you were told to throw away your food for no reason?
These are some of the questions asked by team of researchers, including a Lancaster University Lecturer in Design Policy and Futures Thinking, who—by creating objects from a “smart” imaginary new world—are looking at the ethical implications of using artificial intelligence in the food sector.
The rise in insect farming means questions about insect sentience and slaughter are no longer just philosophical: The well-being of trillions of creatures is at stake.
Up next ►► Vertical farms could take over the world https://youtu.be/J4SaSfnHK3I Instead of shipping food all around the world, imagine your own food coming from your farm in a shipping container, just outside your backdoor. That’s the vision of FarmPod, a St. Croix-based startup looking to completely redefine our relationship with food with a fully automated vertical aquaponic system. This self-contained, solar powered farming method uses a fraction of the water and space of a traditional farm, and even uses zero pesticides. The closed loop system essentially mimics nature’s ecosystems, like a pond. Lettuce, strawberries, kale, collard greens and more can grow in the pod. And, since the produce doesn’t need to be picked early to be shipped to a grocery store, the owner can enjoy their harvest at its peak nutritional value and taste. Produce isn’t all — FarmPod can provide an aquaponic home for tilapia, catfish, crayfish, koi, and freshwater prawns. FarmPod uses automated software and hardware to make their pod’s aquaponics system as easy to run as possible. Mike Straight, the creator and CEO of FarmPod, wants to provide a healthy, hyper-localized source of food with a minimal carbon footprint. “We’re trying to feed the world one pod at a time by hyper-localizing farming, and taking the farm and putting it right in front of the place that needs to use it,” says Straight. Read the full story here ►► https://www.freethink.com/series/challengers/aquaponics ◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠Read more of our stories on aquaponics and sustainable farming: Vertical farms could take over the world. ►► https://www.freethink.com/series/hard-reset?media_id=avWfzm8Q How vertical farming can save the planet and feed the world. ►► https://www.freethink.com/series/make-it-count?media_id=bEIXKavd. New startup takes vertical farming underground — literally. ►► https://www.freethink.com/environment/underground-farm ◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠About Freethink. No politics, no gossip, no cynics. At Freethink, we believe the daily news should inspire people to build a better world. While most media is fueled by toxic politics and negativity, we focus on solutions: the smartest people, the biggest ideas, and the most ground breaking technology shaping our future.◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡◡Watch our original series: ► Hard Reset: https://freeth.ink/youtube-hard-reset. ► Just Might Work: https://freeth.ink/youtube-just-might-work. ► Challengers: https://freeth.ink/youtube-challengers Enjoy Freethink on your favorite platforms: ► Daily editorial features: http://www.freethink.com ► Solutions-based stories, straight to your inbox: https://www.freethink.com/subscribe. ► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/freethinkmedia ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freethink ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/freethinkmedia ► Join the Freethink form: http://www.facebook.com/groups/freethinkforum
