Plant Intelligence for Robotics and AI

Studying plants to help AI act smarter.

The study of plant intelligence holds significant potential for advancing robotics and AI, particularly in the field of soft robotics. By examining the intricate mechanisms underlying plant sensing, adaptability, and decision-making, researchers can gain valuable insights into the development of flexible, responsive, and energy-efficient robotic systems. For instance, the way plants respond to environmental stimuli and adapt their growth patterns can inspire soft robotic designs that are capable of navigating complex environments with minimal energy consumption. Moreover, the study of plant communication and self-organization can provide innovative ideas for decentralized control systems in robotics, enabling a more robust and adaptable performance. Ultimately, the exploration of plant intelligence offers a unique opportunity to uncover novel approaches and bio-inspired solutions for the advancement of robotics and AI, pushing the boundaries of what these technologies can achieve.

 

Donor

Office of Naval Research – Global (USA)

FundaciĆ³n Seneca

Duration

FundaciĆ³n Seneca: 2010-2015

ONR-G 2018-2023

Lead Investigator

Paco Calvo

Latest Publications

Researchers Involved

Paco Calvo

Paco Calvo

Lab Director

Paco is the Director of the MINT Lab and a Professor of Philosophy of Science at the University of Murcia, Spain.

Aditya Ponkshe

Aditya Ponkshe

Post-Doctoral Researcher

Adi is a Post-Doctoral Researcher who has spearheaded the bean and pea plant experiments.

Vicente Raja

Vicente Raja

Research Fellow

Vicente is a post-doctoral researcher and specializes in Ecological Psychology.

Adrien Frazer

Adrien Frazer

PhD Candidate

Adrian is a PhD candidate at the University of Connecticut, USA, and studies fluid and plasma turbulence.

Johnny Lee

Johnny Lee

Research Fellow

Johnny is a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Sussex, UK, and currently doing research at the MINT Lab.

Publications

2022 Lee, J, Calvo, P. Enacting Plant-Inspired Robotics. Frontiers in Neurorobotics 15: 772012.
2020 Frazier PA, Jamone L, Althoefer K, Calvo P. Plant bioinspired ecological robotics. Frontiers in Robotics and AI 7:79.