A robotics team composed of bright and promising Grade 4 students from a public elementary school in Quezon City sought the input of DA-BAFE technical personnel on how to improve the design of a robotics innovation project.
Five students from Project 6 Special Science Elementary School (P6SSES) together with their parents paid a courtesy visit to DA-BAFE Director Ariodear Rico prior to interviewing members of the Information and Communications Technology Support Team on February 8, 2023.
Inspired by the theme “The Energy of the Future”, the robotics team, dubbed Superpowered SDOQC, aims to develop an autonomous hybrid-powered farm robot which helps in crop production through plowing, sowing of seeds, and irrigation.
The Future Agriculture Response Machine: Energy-Efficient Robot or FARM:ER project is the team’s entry to the 12th First Lego League (FLL) Philippines to be held on February 10-11, 2023.
The FARM:ER prototype will use solar and wind energies, allowing it to perform its farming functions. The introduction of hybrid technology makes the FARM:ER prototype SUPERPOWERED as it allows the robot to have a continuous source of energy and eliminates concerns on fluctuating energy output from renewable resources while the robot is doing its tasks.
Using the LEGO® MINDSTORMS ® EV3 kit as robot core, the prototype will have blades to plow the soil, a seed dispenser for planting, and water spray function to nurture the plants in the farm. Solar panels and wind turbine implements will be attached to the robot to collect renewable energy and transform them to electrical energy instead of using non-renewable energy source such as fuels, or in the case of the robotic prototype, disposable batteries or charging through electrical outlets.
The DA-BAFE Information and Communications Technology Support Team (ICTST) responded to the team’s queries on how to improve their robot design in terms of the functions it intends to do (plowing, sowing, and irrigation) among others.
Suggestions on how the robotics team can improve their project concept of using renewable energy (solar and wind energies and use of battery) in agricultural production were also provided by the ICTST.
The FARM:ER will help the country’s agricultural situation by providing assistance in the early stage of farm production. It also lessens the carbon footprint of agriculture by using renewable energy. The innovation project is proposed to be field tested in the Gawad Kalinga Enchanted Farm located in Angat, Bulacan. The GK Enchanted Farm will adopt the FARM:ER® prototype, providing a venue to showcase how robotics innovation can offer a promising future for agriculture in the Philippines. ### DA-BAFE ICTST
Date Published: February 13, 2023
