Extreme environments — on Earth and beyond — limit human habitation due to high levels of contaminants in the soil, making it difficult for food production. With instrumental funding from the WoodNext Foundation, researchers from Texas A&M University hope to rehabilitate extreme environments by integrating entomology, robotics, artificial intelligence and sensor technology.
The WoodNext Foundation manages the philanthropy of tech innovator and Roku CEO/Founder Anthony Wood ’87 and his wife Susan ‘89.
While they may sound like pests, black soldier flies could hold the key to reclaiming extreme environments. Their larvae can recycle organic waste and produce protein and fertilizer. But most importantly, the larvae can remove toxic substances from the materials fed to them.
This interdisciplinary project aims to create autonomous systems that allow for growing plants, recycling with black soldier fly larvae, and generating healthy, fertile soil suitable for human habitation.
However, performing such work with manual labor is not practical due to the large expense of energy and resources, as well as the dangers posed to workers in extreme environments. This challenge led to the multidisciplinary project.
“This project exemplifies the interdisciplinary research that is necessary to tackle the complex problems we face in today’s world,” said Dr. Guillermo Aguilar , department head and professor in the J. Mike Walker ’66 Department of Mechanical Engineering. “Nobody is an expert in every field needed to combat a challenge of this scale, but collectively, we provide a unique expertise that is capable of addressing this problem.”
Dr. Jeffery Tomberlin , a professor and AgriLife Research fellow in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Entomology, will lead the biological integration project using black soldier fly larvae. Tomberlin’s expertise in entomology provides the team with knowledge of black soldier flies and their ability to remove toxic substances from the environment. This understanding is crucial for the project’s success.
“We live in a changing world where land is limited. By reclaiming extreme terrestrial environments, we are creating resources for humanity. If successful, such methods can be applied globally but also beyond Earth such as in orbit, or on the moon or Mars,” said Tomberlin, who also serves as director of the National Science Foundation Center for Insect Biomanufacturing and Innovation.
Aguilar will contribute to the project by developing advanced sensors to obtain real-time soil data. The sensors will detect soil composition, contaminant concentrations and nutrient dynamics.
“The successful contaminant removal and soil restoration this project intends to achieve will empower land managers, farmers and governments to address polluted environments previously regarded as lost,” said Aguilar.
Aguilar’s soil-sensing data will be used in combination with robotics systems, built by Dr. Minghui Zheng , to automate remediation tasks. Zheng, an associate professor in the mechanical engineering department, notes that the robotic systems will form a physical backbone for the closed-loop, autonomous remediation system capable of adaptive operation with minimal human intervention.
“By shifting labor-intensive and potentially dangerous tasks to automated robotic platforms, the technologies developed here can significantly reduce human exposure to hazardous environments,” said Zheng.
Dr. Xiao Liang , an assistant professor in the Zachry Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, will lead the artificial intelligence component of the project. Liang’s background in machine learning and environmental systems optimization will enable the creation of an AI platform to dynamically adjust conditions, supporting efficiency, scalability and reduced human intervention.
By Alyssa Schaechinger, Texas A&M University College of Engineering
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