- Users plan out a farm digitally, almost like a video game.
- It can be used for small-scale home gardens, education, or larger projects.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories .
Farmbot is an open-source, 3D printed robotic farm machine.
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FarmBot is a way for people to grow vegetables in almost any backyard, but it's also like a video game. After introducing it's two largest kits ever, FarmBot says it has been used by thousands of children, families, and scientists.
The idea is a high-tech garden or small farm that can monitor just about every aspect of plants while controlling them like a game. A 3D printed robot arm plants vegetables, waters them, monitors soil conditions, and captures images. Meanwhile, the farmer can control all the tools from a web app with a virtual garden that functions a bit like if the farm simulator video game "Stardew Valley" had a real-life companion.
All FarmBot products are also completely open source, with explicit encouragement for buyers to 3D print their own pieces or make any other modifications they can think of.
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Here's how it works.
Farmbot comes in several different sizes and use cases.
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There are two different lines, the Farmbot Express and Farmbot Genesis, each with three size options.
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The bot arm itself and attachments are 3D printed.
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FarmBot Express kits are the cheaper and easier to use models, according to the company.
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The kits come 95% assembled, and must be mounted in a planter bed with soil.
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The smallest FarmBot Express comes in a 40 pound box, and covers an area of about 32 square feet.
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On the more affordable FarmBots, a 3-in-1 tool head combines watering, seeding, and weed suppression.
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The FarmBot Genesis line is more advanced, and more expensive.
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With more advanced hardware, they come with several interchangeable pieces used for the plants.
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The seed injector is powered by a vacuum pump and plants properly spaced seeds with accuracy down to the millimeter.
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The soil sensor measures the moisture content of each plant's location, which then informs how the plants are watered.
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It also measures temperature, which can tell the farmer if a plant failed to germinate.
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The watering nozzle precisely waters plants. Owners can also create custom water patterns by 3D printing an attachable piece.
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The weeding tool comes with blades and spikes to take out weeds before they become a problem for the garden.
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A waterproof camera takes photos of plants to monitor progress and detect weeds.
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Eventually, the camera might also be advanced enough to detect pests and produce ripeness.
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All of these attachments work by sliding back and forth over the garden on tracks, which they're attached too.
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Then, owners can control their farm from a computer or phone using FarmBot's web app.
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Set up the the FarmBot garden to match the real garden outside.
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All the different tools and settings are also added.
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See and control the garden almost like a video game, "Stardew Valley" style.
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The view from above should be the same between the app and the actual plants, making it easy to control digitally.
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FarmBot is powered by electricity and comes with an extension cord that must be plugged into an outlet.
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FarmBot emits about 30% less CO2 than standard methods of growing vegetables, according to the company's estimates based on average electricity emissions.
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Source: FarmBot
The company also estimates it costs about $16 in electricity per year to run FarmBot.
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With the right equipment, it's possible to power FarmBot through solar power.
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In fact, FarmBot is made to be tinkered with and modified, and the company encourages it.
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For places that get cold enough to end the growing season for part of the year, FarmBot recommends an inexpensive greenhouse setup.
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Each of the more advanced Genesis kits are intentionally made as DIY platforms.
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Owners are encouraged to modify their tools using original 3D printing designs or get ideas through the FarmBot forums.
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All FarmBot designs are also completely open-source, so anyone can look at CAD models or code to change them for a custom garden.
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They run on Raspberry Pis, small computers often used to teach coding.
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For water, like electricity, the FarmBot needs a hookup to a house or other building with utilities.
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Of course, WiFi is also crucial so the farmer can control all the tools and read the sensors.
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Yield depends on climate and other conditions, but FarmBot says that the XL models can produce enough fruits and vegetables for a family of four or five every day.
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The FarmBot Express version one is the most affordable model, selling for $1,495 and shipping every two weeks.
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More expensive FarmBot Genesis models are available for preorder in late 2020, selling for up to $5,495.
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They all ship free in the US.
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