This robot could find nitrate hot spots by crawling through tile drainage

by Cami Koons, Iowa Capital Dispatch
Dec 27, 2024
Dec 27, 2024

Christian Luedtke, a researcher at Michigan State University, demonstrates a prototype of a tile robot.
Screenshot from Iowa Learning Farms

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

by Cami Koons, Iowa Capital Dispatch

Researchers from Iowa State University have partnered with Michigan State University to develop a robot that would detect nitrates and monitor tile health to help farmers keep their land productive.

kAm}62C=J 92=7 @7 x@H2’D 92CG6DE65 4C@A=2?5 92D E:=6 5C2:?286[ 244@C5:?8 E@ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]42?C]>DF]65F^?6HD^a_aa\28\46?DFD\C6G62=D\DFCAC:D:?8\EC6?5\:?\24C6286\@7\E:=6\5C2:?286\:?\E96\>:5H6DEQm28 46?DFD 52E2 7C@> E96 &]$] s6A2CE>6?E @7 p8C:4F=EFC6]k^2m %96 F?56C8C@F?5 5C2:?286 DJDE6>D 96=A E@ 3@@DE 4C@A AC@5F4E:G:EJ[ 3FE 6?G:C@?>6?E2= 2?5 H2E6C 8C@FAD 92G6 A@:?E65 @FE E96J 42? 2=D@ 56=:G6C 6I46DD:G6 2>@F?ED @7 ?:EC2E6 2?5 @E96C ?FEC:6?ED 5@H?DEC62>]k^Am

kAm|:<6 r2DE6==2?@[ 2 AC@76DD@C @7 D@:= D4:6?46 2E x$&[ D2:5 E96 C@3@ED 2?5 ?:EC2E6 D6?D@CD 4@F=5 96=A 72C>6CD 56E64E H96C6[ 9@H 2?5 9@H >F49 ?:EC2E6 E96J 2C6 =@D:?8] r2DE6==2?@ DA@<6 2E 2 G:CEF2= 7:6=5 52J H:E9 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]:@H2=62C?:?872C>D]@C8^6G6?ED\`Qmx@H2 {62C?:?8 u2C>Dk^2m s64] `h] k^Am

kAm“%92E 2==@HD 72C>6CD E@ 36EE6C >2?286 E96:C 7:6=5 2E 2 AC64:D:@? D42=6[ E@ :>AC@G6 3@E9 AC@5F4E:G:EJ 2?5 6?G:C@?>6?E2= A6C7@C>2?46 @7 @FC 4C@A AC@5F4E:@? DJDE6>D[” r2DE6==2?@ D2:5] k^Am

kAmr2DE6==2?@ D2:5 4FCC6?E E649?@=@8:6D =:>:E ?:EC2E6 E6DE:?8 E@ E96 6?5 @7 E96 E:=6 A:A6[ 3FE E96 C@3@E H@F=5 36 23=6 E@ A:?A@:?E “6I24E=J H96? 2?5 H96C6 E9@D6 ?FEC:6?ED 2C6 36:?8 =@DE]”k^Am

kAm{:2?8 s@?8[ E96 5:C64E@C @7 E96 >:4C@6=64EC@?:4D C6D62C49 46?E6C 2E x$& 92D H@C<65 H:E9 r2DE6==2?@ E@ 56G6=@A E96 ?:EC2E6 D6?D@C A@CE:@? @7 E9:D E649?@=@8J] k^Am

kAms@?8 D2:5 E96 D6?D@C :D 4@>A=6E65 2?5 :D 36:?8 4@>>6C4:2=:K65 E@ 36 2? 277@C523=6 E649?@=@8J 7@C 72C>6CD] k^Am

kAm“(96? E96 D6?D@C :D D>2== 6?@F89 2?5 E96 AC:46 :D =@H 6?@F89[ 72C>6CD 42? AFE E96 D6?D@CD :?E@ E96:C 5C2:?286 E:=6[ 2?5 E96? E96J H:== <?@H H92E :D E96 H2E6C7=@H 2?5 H92E :D E96 ?:EC2E6 =@DD 7C@> E96:C 7:6=5[” s@?8 D2:5]k^Am

People are also reading…

Propagating the prairie: Couple creates business out of raising native plants
Bison may not have future on Great Plains
Back to grass: Focused on conservation, Midwest farmers return cropland to prairie state
100-year-old veteran recalls battles of World War II
How Mitchell-based Trail King powers heavy haul across North America
Buyer beware: Problem cows, accessories sold separately
Breakfast offers ‘majestic’ chance to talk dairy
Veteran expands Valor Provisions beef biz
Cattle-station cookbook helps disaster
2026 Wisconsin Dairy Breakfasts
A herdsman’s claim to AI
Mr. Fix-it I am not
Soybean market reacts to Trump’s visit to China
Fickle weather creates field challenges
Barn Boards and Baling Wire

kAm%96 6?5 8@2= :D E@ AFE E96 ?:EC2E6 D6?D@C[ 2=@?8 H:E9 2 42>6C2 2?5 2 H2E6C7=@H D6?D@C[ @?E@ 2 C@3@E E92E 42? 4C2H= E9C@F89 2? 6?E:C6 E:=6 5C2:?286 DJDE6> 2?5 DE@C6 E96 :?7@C>2E:@? 7@C 72C>6CD] k^Am

kAm%96 C@3@E[ H9:49 :D 36:?8 56G6=@A65 3J E62> =65 3J ):2@3@ %2?[ 2 AC@76DD@C @7 6=64EC:42= 6?8:?66C:?8 2E |:49:82? $E2E6 &?:G6CD:EJ[ :D DE:== 2 AC@E@EJA6] k^Am

kAmr9C:DE:2? {F65E<6[ 2 8C25F2E6 C6D62C496C H@C<:?8 H:E9 %2? @? E96 AC@;64E[ DA@<6 2E E96 G:CEF2= 7:6=5 52J 2?5 56>@?DEC2E65 E96 4FCC6?E AC@E@EJA6] k^Am

kAm%96 ?62C=J EH@\7@@E =@?8 C@3@E :D 4FCC6?E=J 56D:8?65 E@ FD6 D6G6C2= 7:?\=:<6 32C3D @? E96 7C@?E 2?5 324< E@ >@G6 E9C@F89 4@CCF82E65 A:A6D] k^Am

kAm{F65E<6 D2:5 96 92D =62C?65 E9C@F89 E9:D AC@;64E E92E ?@E 2== E:=6 :D 4@CCF82E65 2?5 :E @7E6? H:== 492?86 5:2>6E6CD 24C@DD 2 7:6=5[ H9:49 AC6D6?E 255:E:@?2= 492==6?86D E@ 4C62E:?8 E96 C@3@E] k^Am

kAm“(6 5@ ?@E <?@H E92E 36:?8 6?8:?66CD 2?5 ?@E 72C>6CD[” {F65E<6 D2:5] k^Am

kAm%96D6 2C6 E9:?8D 96 =62C?65 H9:=6 :? x@H2 E9:D DF>>6C H9:=6 E2=<:?8 23@FE E96 AC@;64E H:E9 72C>6CD[ >2?J @7 H9@> 92G6 4=2J @C 4@?4C6E6 E:=6D E92E H6C6 :?DE2==65 >2?J 86?6C2E:@?D AC:@C]k^Am

kAm{F65E<6 D2:5 E96 C@3@E 2=D@ ?665D E@ 36 BF:4<6C 2E >@G:?8 E9C@F89 E96 A:A6D[ 92G6 2 32EE6CJ =:76 @7 2E =62DE 2 4@FA=6 @7 9@FCD 2?5 36 H2E6CAC@@765 367@C6 E96 C6D62C49 E62> 42? 368:? AC24E:42= E6DED :? 24EF2= E:=6] k^Am

kAm“%96 H2E6C BF2=:EJ :DDF6D 96C6 :? x@H2[ :7 H6 42? 96=A AC@G:56 2 4962A 2?5 62DJ D@=FE:@? 7@C 72C>6CD E@ >2<6 564:D:@?D E@ 96=A E92E[ x E9:?< E92E’5 36 2 8C62E 67764E 7@C @FC H@C< E@ 92G6[” {F65E<6 D2:5]k^Am

k5:G 4=2DDlQ5@?2E6r@?E2:?6CQm k^5:Gm

Iowa Capital Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Iowa Capital Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions: info@iowacapitaldispatch.com.