Canopi

SBIR PHASE II: FULL-SCALE DEMONSTRATION OF AUTONOMOUS ROBOTIC GREENHOUSE FOR SUSTAINABLE LOCAL FOOD PRODUCTION -THE BROADER/COMMERCIAL IMPACT OF THIS SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PHASE II PROJECT PROMOTES SMALL AND MID-SIZED FARMING IN THE UNITED STATES THROUGH ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY MEANS. THROUGH COST-EFFECTIVE LABOR AUTOMATION, A FULLY AUTOMATED, TURN-KEY GREENHOUSE PRODUCTION SYSTEM CAN BE MADE MORE ACCESSIBLE. THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE FARMERS WITH A TOOL THAT CAN GUARANTEE A BASELINE ANNUAL PRODUCTION OF LEAFY GREENS AND HERBS, INDEPENDENT OF WEATHER VARIABLES AND LABOR ACCESSIBILITY. BY REMOVING WEATHER LIMITATIONS AND LABOR REQUIREMENTS, SMALL AND MID-SIZED FARMS CAN BE MADE MORE PROFITABLE AND SCALABLE. THIS PROJECT WILL HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE ADVANCEMENT OF LOCAL AND REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEMS. BY ADVANCING A MARKET THAT HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY IGNORED FROM A TECHNOLOGICAL STANDPOINT, AN ATTRACTIVE ALTERNATIVE TO LARGE-SCALE INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE AND FOREIGN FRESH FOOD IMPORTS WILL BE CREATED. MAKING SMALL AND MID-SIZED FARMS MORE ECONOMICALLY VIABLE WILL CREATE A MORE ROBUST AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEM. THIS SBIR PHASE II EFFORT WILL DESIGN, BUILD, AND DEMONSTRATE A FULL-SCALE, AUTOMATED GREENHOUSE FARM PROTOTYPE. THIS PROTOTYPE WILL REMAIN COMPLETELY AUTONOMOUS FOR WEEKS AT A TIME REQUIRING NO HUMANS TO ENTER THE FARM WHILE ALL PROCESSES FROM SEED TO STORAGE OF HARVESTED CROPS ARE PERFORMED ROBOTICALLY. NO GREENHOUSE TECHNOLOGY, AT ANY PRICE POINT, HAS BEEN ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE AN ABILITY TO ACHIEVE THIS DEGREE OF AUTOMATION. THIS TECHNOLOGY WILL ADVANCE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ROBOTICS IN FOOD PRODUCTION BY ADDRESSING THE CAPITAL COSTS, LABOR, AND ENERGY BARRIERS THAT CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT AGRICULTURE SYSTEMS CURRENTLY FACE. KEY CHALLENGES INCLUDE THE PRODUCTION OF APPROXIMATELY 340 PLANTS PER DAY WITHOUT ANY HUMAN INTERVENTION, A LOW-COST DESIGN FOR SETUP AND ONGOING OPERATIONS, AND THE ABILITY TO ADJUST PRODUCT OUTPUTS IN REAL-TIME TO MEET MARKET DEMANDS. HUMAN INTERACTION WITH THE GROWING PROCESS WILL BE LIMITED THROUGH A HIGH DEGREE OF SYSTEM AUTOMATION, INCLUDING COMPUTER VISION FOR PLANT INSPECTIONS AND SELF-CLEANING PROCESSES. NOVEL PLANT GROWTH AND HANDLING PROCESSES WILL ALLOW FOR VIRTUALLY ANY TYPE OF LEAFY GREEN OR HERB TO BE GROWN. A VARIETY OF SENSORS WILL BE USED TO MONITOR CONDITIONS AND ADJUST THE SYSTEM, ALLOWING FRESH PRODUCE IN AREAS WITHOUT SUITABLE AGRICULTURAL OPPORTUNITIES. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

SMALL AND MID-SIZED FARMS IN THE UNITED STATES ARE FACING SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES IN MAINTAINING PROFITABILITY, PARTICULARLY WHEN COMPETING WITH LARGE-SCALE AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS. THESE SMALLER FARMS OFTEN TURN TO SPECIALTY CROPS LIKE HERBS AND VEGETABLES TO DIFFERENTIATE THEMSELVES, BUT THE LABOR COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH MANUAL HARVESTING AND PACKAGING THESE CROPS CAN BE PROHIBITIVELY HIGH. THIS PROJECT AIMS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE BY DEVELOPING A NOVEL AUTOMATED SYSTEM FOR HARVESTING AND HANDLING LIVING HYDROPONIC BASIL. THIS DEVELOPMENT HAS POTENTIALLY REVOLUTIONIZE HOW SMALL AND MID-SIZED FARMS OPERATE AND COMPETE IN THE MARKET BY GIVING THEM ACCESS TO COST EFFECTIVE LABOR AUTOMATION.THE RESEARCH WILL FOCUS ON MODIFYING AN EXISTING AUTOMATED GREENHOUSE SYSTEM TO HARVEST LIVING BASIL PLANTS WHILE KEEPING THEIR ROOTS INTACT AND THEN PACKAGE THEM FOR WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTION. THIS APPROACH OFFERS SEVERAL ADVANTAGES OVER TRADITIONAL CUT BASIL PRODUCTION, INCLUDING REDUCED LABOR COSTS, DECREASED PACKAGING WASTE, AND A LONGER-LASTING PRODUCT FOR CONSUMERS. THE PROJECT WILL INVOLVE DESIGNING CUSTOM MECHANISMS FOR PLANT HANDLING, CREATING SPECIALIZED TRAYS AND BOXES FOR TRANSPORTATION, AND DEVELOPING SOFTWARE TO CONTROL THE ENTIRE PROCESS WITH MINIMAL HUMAN INTERVENTION.BY AUTOMATING THE HARVESTING AND PACKAGING OF LIVING BASIL, THIS PROJECT AIMS TO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE LABOR COSTS FOR SMALL AND MID-SIZED FARMS, POTENTIALLY INCREASING THEIR PROFITABILITY AND COMPETITIVENESS IN THE SPECIALTY CROP MARKET. THIS COULD ALSO LEAD TO MORE SUSTAINABLE FARMING PRACTICES BY REDUCING PACKAGING WASTE AND EXTENDING THE SHELF LIFE OF HERBS, WHICH IN TURN COULD DECREASE FOOD WASTE AT BOTH THE RETAIL AND CONSUMER LEVELS. ADDITIONALLY, THE SYSTEM'S COMPACT DESIGN COULD ENABLE URBAN AND PERI-URBAN FARMING, BRINGING FRESH, LOCALLY-GROWN PRODUCE CLOSER TO CONSUMERS AND POTENTIALLY REDUCING TRANSPORTATION-RELATED EMISSIONS.IF SUCCESSFUL, THIS PROJECT COULD HAVE FAR-REACHING IMPACTS ON THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR AND BEYOND. IT COULD EMPOWER SMALL AND MID-SIZED FARMS TO ACCESS PREMIUM WHOLESALE MARKETS, POTENTIALLY LEADING TO MORE DIVERSE AND RESILIENT LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS. THE TECHNOLOGY COULD ALSO BE ADAPTED FOR OTHER HERBS AND NURSERY CROPS, OPENING UP NEW MARKET OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWERS. FROM A SOCIETAL PERSPECTIVE, THIS INNOVATION COULD CONTRIBUTE TO STRONGER, MORE FINANCIALLY INDEPENDENT RURAL NON-ARABLE COMMUNITIES, INCREASE ACCESS TO FRESH, LOCALLY-GROWN PRODUCE, AND SUPPORT THE GROWING TREND TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE AND EFFICIENT AGRICULTURE.ULTIMATELY, THIS PROJECT REPRESENTS A STEP TOWARDS A MORE DISTRIBUTED AND SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL FUTURE, WHERE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY IS ACCESSIBLE TO FARMS OF ALL SIZES, NOT JUST LARGE INDUSTRIAL OPERATIONS. BY LOWERING THE BARRIERS TO ENTRY FOR COMMERCIAL HERB PRODUCTION AND ENABLING MORE EFFICIENT USE OF RESOURCES, THIS RESEARCH HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CONTRIBUTE TO A MORE DIVERSE, RESILIENT, AND LOCALLY-ORIENTED FOOD SYSTEM THAT BENEFITS,PRODUCERS, CONSUMERS, AND THE ENVIRONMENT ALIKE.