Interviews: https://falling-walls.com/discover/articles/planting-the-future-lining-yao-and-her-teams-self-drilling-seed-carrier/

PLANTING THE FUTURE: LINING YAO AND HER TEAM’S SELF-DRILLING SEED CARRIER

Introducing the innovative self-drilling seed carrier by Lining Yao and her team, a groundbreaking solution to enhance aerial seeding via autonomous planting. This wood-based, biodegradable carrier responds to moisture changes, self-drilling into the soil more efficiently than natural seeds. With applications in agriculture, reforestation, and beyond, this invention offers a promising strategy to conserve ecosystems. This bio-inspired approach not only addresses urgent ecological challenges but also holds potential for broader applications in energy, robotics, and sustainable infrastructure.

Which wall does your research break?

The Self-Drilling Seed Carrier Aims to Improve Aerial Seeding Effectiveness: A technical and design invention that describes a wood-based, three-tailed, biodegradable seed carrier that self-drills into the ground in response to moisture fluctuations with a success rate higher than that of natural self-drilling seeds. This rain-triggered self-burial seed carrier can be used in agriculture and reforestation.

What inspired or motivated you to work on your current research or project?

We are in urgent need of conserving and restoring natural ecology. We need an effective strategy, and it turns out bio-inspired science and design is the answer.

In what ways does society benefit from your research?

This system is expected to improve the effectiveness of aerial seeding to relieve agricultural and environmental stresses, and has potential applications in energy harvesting, soft robotics and sustainable buildings.