After the Robot: Looking to the Future

For centuries agriculture has played an important role in human society. It has provided food and nutrients for billions, it has created jobs for millions of farmers, and it has woven its way into our culture. Now, as we venture into the 21st century with our many technological advances and new philosophies, agriculture is becoming a practice of the past—primitive and antiquated. In order for agriculture to remain a practical and important part of our society and culture, it needs to adjust with to the technological advancements of the world. To a certain extent, these adjustments have already begun. Genetically modified plants are increasing in popularity, and automated farming techniques are becoming more prevalent. Our proposal takes these practices one step further—creating a fully automated farm. Our proposal uses cutting edge technology from many fields of science—Biology, Robotics, Chemistry, Computer Science and Physics—in tandem with age old agricultural practices (monoculture and irrigation), in order to create the most efficient and technologically advanced farm in the world. This is just the first step in a long journey of technological discovery. The model put forth here paves the way for a future full of technological advancements and discovery—the possibilities are endless!