Meet Plantolin, the ingenious robot pangolin designed to plant trees and combat deforestation. Developed by a high school student, this innovative solution combines biomimicry and robotics to tackle one of the world’s biggest environmental challenges. With its unique armored appearance and pangolin-inspired movements, Plantolin is revolutionizing the way we approach reforestation efforts. Discover how this remarkable creation is inspiring a new generation of environmental champions.
Biomimicry in Action
One day a high school student by the name of Dorothy would later become privy to the harmful affects deforestation has made on this beautiful world and Plantolin was birthed. She sought to tackle the desperate problem of tree-planting with a pangolin-inspired robot.
Pangolins are unique animals recognizable by their protective keratin armors and powerful digging ability. Dorothy realized that a robot with these attributes could be utilized to traverse treacherous terrain, burrow through soil, and plant saplings. While the pangolin organ’s porous structure aids in heavy metal removal, this expertise inspired her to create a solution mimicry of the animal behavior that could also be eco-friendly.
Bringing Plantolin to Life
The University of Surrey in the UK literally brought Plantolin to life after Dorothy’s design was selected as the winner in 2023 Natural Robotics Contest. The team, headed by roboticist Dr. Rob Siddall of the Department of Engineering, painstakingly built the robot to perfectly represent a pangolin and perform the necessary function at hand.
Plantolin has a long tail that moves to balance the creature as it walks, and its plywood skin is made of scales, making for an unusual look. The robot features claws that swipe soil aside, create a borehole and then drop in nearly encased “seed bombs” filled with yew tree seeds. Not only is this method innovative, but it also helps restore the balance that once existed in urban areas where large animal activity has been greatly diminished.
Inspiring the Next Wave of Environment Innovators
Plantolin has emerged victorious as the yachtie example of this and thankfully the boat came through largely unscathed although some other boats were not so fortunate. What started as a high school project with Dorothy has turned into a viable, real world solution that stands to contribute greatly to reforestation efforts globally.
And the Natural Robotics Contest, by demonstrating this amazing feat, is helping to inspire the environmental advocates of tomorrow. It is the archetype of how daunting problems can be addressed with creativity and a thorough knowledge of natural systems. As Plantolin is field-tested and debugged, its success highlights the growing potential of biomimicry in combination with robotics to provide sustainable solutions that benefit all species that share this world.
