This week I was struggling to think of an emerging innovation that was not related to AI. It seems like AI technology for me just really became relevant last semester and has just completely taken over every industry imaginable. I have honestly no clue where we could be on the hype curve for this emerging technology. Are we overhyping its capabilities? Or is it really this powerful and we are just skimming the water for an introduction to what is to come in the future? While AI is getting all the hype right now, is there another technology out there that could help us as a society take another leap in advancement? This past weekend I got caught up in the black void of what is known as YouTube and happened to get sucked in a stream of videos about human-to-plant communication.
Yes, I really just said human-to-plant communication. The study of human-plant communication is a new field of study that looks at how people and plants can communicate with one another. Recently, experts created a new tool that enables electrical messages to be sent between people and plants. The system, which was created by researchers at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, operates by taking measurements of the electrical signals that plants release in reaction to environmental cues. By enabling farmers and researchers to precisely monitor plant behavior and spot early indications of stress or disease, the device might be utilized in agriculture to maximize plant growth and health. This may lessen the need for pesticides and other chemicals, resulting in more ecologically friendly and sustainable agricultural methods. The tool might also be used to examine how various environmental elements like temperature, humidity, and light affect plant growth, revealing important information on how plants adjust to shifting environmental conditions.
The tool could be used in environmental monitoring to identify alterations in plant behavior that point to environmental stress or pollution. An early warning system for potential environmental risks may be created, for instance, by utilizing changes in the electrical signals that plants release to identify the presence of toxins in the air or soil. This could be especially helpful in cities where plants can assist filter and absorbing air pollutants but may also be prone to their detrimental effects.
Earlier this semester I remember someone writing a blog post about AI being able to pick up on animal communication specifically with dolphins. So of course I surely can’t go a whole blog post without also bringing the capabilities of matching this technology with AI can do. We could open up a huge range of new applications and possibilities if we combined AI with human-to-plant communication technologies. In order to uncover patterns and trends in plant activity that would be challenging for humans to recognize on their own, AI might be used to analyze the information gathered by the device. AI algorithms could be used, for instance, to recognize particular electrical signals released by plants that are a symptom of certain environmental conditions or diseases. AI might potentially be used to improve the way that people and plants communicate. AI algorithms could assist humans in creating more effective communication techniques that produce more accurate and meaningful answers from the plants by analyzing how plants react to various stimuli and interactions. As a result, people may be better able to comprehend plants’ demands and adapt to their shifting settings, perhaps resulting in new advancements in agriculture and environmental monitoring. AI may also be used to develop new interfaces and applications for technology that connects people and plants. For instance, AI-driven virtual assistants might be created to improve human-plant communication by giving real-time feedback and recommendations based on the responses of the plants. What’s more, AI-powered tools might be created to assist people in converting electrical signals emitted by plants into accessible visual or auditory representations.
Although the technology is still in its development stage, it has the power to fundamentally alter the way we engage with plants and improve our grasp of their behavior and communication. We may be able to develop more environmentally friendly and environmentally sustainable approaches to agriculture and urban planning, as well as acquire new insights into the intricate workings of the natural world, by developing new means for people to communicate with plants.
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Hi Chase. This topic is such a unique one to discuss. I think the idea of having innovations combine plants and technology brings up the importance of studying cross-disciplines in college and beyond. For example, if there wasn’t a group of people interested in both plants (and the science behind them) and technology, this innovation would have never been researched. By exploring a broad range of interests throughout one’s life, people can find connections and pain-points that they never would have found otherwise. Those are the kind of innovations that can change society.
Hey Chase great post! I’m glad this is something we are developing because if it will decrease the use of pesticides and chemicals used in farming, it would be great for the environment and for us as consumers. This could also potentially give us important data about the soil and weather and be able to predict when, where, and for how long to grow crops in the future seasons to product the highest yield.
Hi Chase! This post is so informative and about a really cool topic. It’s so interesting to see AI relate to plants. I have a lot of houseplants that require different levels of sunlight and water, and I remember seeing a technology related to keeping track of the health of the plants. I think it was that it was a technology for the plant where it could either having a certain light or sound displayed based on what condition it was in at the time, and then you can determine whether or not it needs to be watered. The AI that you mentioned in this post can definitely help people who beginners with taking care of plants and massive projects where there are so many different plant species being grown in a location where the plant species may all have different requirements. I’m looking forward to see this AI develop more and how this will change gardening and owning plants. Great post!
Hi Chase! What a find in the YouTube dungeon. I also get trapped in this void but I have yet to come across plant-to-human communication. Detecting environmental risks early on is extremely important in protecting us from experiencing long-term damages, and using trees’ communication as an indicator of toxicity seems absolutely genius. I think I understand how this would work, and humans have been working with electro signals to communicate for quite some time. The difficulty here seems to be translating the trees’ signals into discernible information. If AI can help us crack their secret code, it would be monumental. Excellent work.
HI Chase! Cool post, I am curious if this could be altered for people as well. If we could put a chip within ourselves to notice distress and notify users. Curious of the scale this innovation can range and what the current feedback would be.
Hi Chase! Such as interesting read. Human-to-plant communication and the potential for combining it with AI is fascinating. It’s exciting to read about emerging technologies beyond AI that can have a significant impact on society. By combining AI with human-to-plant communication technology, we could absolutely expose a wide range of new information and possibilities in general. AI has huge potential to change the way we engage with plants and I’m excited to see how it provides us with valuable insights into the natural world in the future!
This could have been awesome to write on with my previous blog post about precision agriculture, utilizing technology like this could have so many benefits to the industry that we could understand so many more intricate issues than before.
Hey, great post! It’s exciting to learn about this emerging field of human-to-plant communication. The new tool developed by researchers at Wageningen University seems like a game-changer for agriculture and environmental monitoring. It’s amazing to think about how this technology could lead to more ecologically friendly and sustainable agricultural methods.
Hi Chase, this was mind boggling to read that we are at the point technologically, to potentially communicate with plants. The advantages to implementing such a cool technology are endless like you mentioned. The applications of such communication between humans and plants will be interesting to see as they develop and hopefully provide a healthier, prettier, and more efficient world.
Hey Chase! Cool post! I always thought that if we can use medical machines and technology, such as MRIs, CAT scans, x-rays, or a heart-rate monitor, to gather information and data about the human body, then why can’t we do it for plants? This new device could be so beneficial for sustainable practices. Having less of a reliance on pesticides and better understanding plant diseases can lead to safer agriculture and less food waste as well. I am sure that human-to-plant communication will change the agricultural industry in the next couple of decades.
Hey Chase, I thought this post was a very creative one. I have never heard about AI in plants until today. As an avid plant lover, I love the idea that plants and humans can have better communication. Your post reminded me of the tree whisper which was funny many years ago. I think AI is getting more creative as it is! Its great to see they are working to fix common issues in the agricultural industry to make it more safe.
Hey Chase! This is such an interesting post. I honestly believe that AI in plants will be a huge turning point for us. By this, I mean that since we can communicate with plants, we would be able to prevent any future harm for them.
Very good post Chase. I did a blog post about AI and farming as well and its super interesting to see how new emerging technologies can even help an industry thats thousands of years old. I feel if we were able to talk to plants in an effective way this could really change how we grow plants and even help those of us that are bad with plants. Im excited to see this develop further.
Hey Chase! The idea of humans and plants being able to understand each other through the use of technology is crazy, but that might just be where we are heading. If this technology proves its self to be accurate, I can see many benefits this could have. This could positively benefit farming and maybe decrease the rate of deforestation. This technology is very cool and I hope to see advancements within the next 10 years.