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FarmBot: Open-source automated farming machine

wiki.farmbot.it

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Re: FarmBot: Open-source automated farming machine

#2

Post by _mulder_ » 

  "If you have another way to donate in mind"
Seems like this would be an ideal project for a kickstarter, that way at least the project could create a more informative project page and detail exactly how they hope to spend the money with perhaps the goal of building a prototype in a given time-scale.

At the moment it looks a bit too much like someone's had a great idea, done a bit of initial design and thrown together a wiki page. It doesn't seem serious enough for me to donate at this stage.

Re: FarmBot: Open-source automated farming machine

#3

Post by gustoffen »

_mulder_ wrote: post #2

"If you have another way to donate in mind" Seems like this would be an ideal project for a kickstarter, that way at least the project could create a more informative project page and detail exactly how they hope to spend the money with perhaps the goal of building a prototype in a given time-scale. At the moment it looks a bit too much like someone's had a great idea, done a bit of initial design and thrown together…

It might be too early for a kickstarter, but looks like it hasn't stopped someone from donating pi bitcoins - https://twitter.com/FarmBotProject

Re: FarmBot: Open-source automated farming machine

#5

Post by malandrew »

Very cool. It would be awesome to automate as much as possible of permaculture and everything you need to create small communities that can survive entirely off the grid in a way that affords people plenty of free time.

People who did this might want to also check out the Global Village Construction Set:

http://opensourceecology.org/wiki/Global_Village_Constructio...

Re: FarmBot: Open-source automated farming machine

#6

Post by timdiggerm »

malandrew wrote: post #5

Very cool. It would be awesome to automate as much as possible of permaculture and everything you need to create small communities that can survive entirely off the grid in a way that affords people plenty of free time. People who did this might want to also check out the Global Village Construction Set: http://opensourceecology.org/wiki/Global_Village_Constructio...

off the grid, yet with a powered robot?

Re: FarmBot: Open-source automated farming machine

#7

Post by Zikes »

timdiggerm wrote: post #6
malandrew wrote: post #5

Very cool. It would be awesome to automate as much as possible of permaculture and everything you need to create small communities that can survive entirely off the grid in a way that affords people plenty of free time. People who did this might want to also check out the Global Village Construction Set: http://opensourceecology.org/wiki/Global_Village_Constructio...

off the grid, yet with a powered robot?

Plenty of off-grid power options, like solar, wind, and water.

Re: FarmBot: Open-source automated farming machine

#8

Post by VikingCoder »

malandrew wrote: post #5

Very cool. It would be awesome to automate as much as possible of permaculture and everything you need to create small communities that can survive entirely off the grid in a way that affords people plenty of free time. People who did this might want to also check out the Global Village Construction Set: http://opensourceecology.org/wiki/Global_Village_Constructio...

I'm reminded of this, my favorite TED talk:

http://www.ted.com/talks/willie_smits_restores_a_rainforest....

He talks about turning a de-forested area back into a rain forest. It's like an algorithm for sustainable living.

Re: FarmBot: Open-source automated farming machine

#9

Post by eksith »

This seems to work on a very similar principle to automated industrial cutters like those you would in factories slicing fabric or even automated drawing machines or dock cranes.

Two tracks on either side with one main gantry and tool in the middle. The design is very simple (which is very good) and I think the principles are straightforward enough for the DIYer to begin tinkering almost immediately. 3D printers, while getting cheaper, aren't as cheap as inkjet printers and until that becomes are reality, making parts will be a bit expensive.

But for a small green house version I can see someone using furniture drawer tracks or screen door tracks from the nearest hardware shop and begin building one of their own. Someone with basic woodworking skills can put together a basic version fairly quickly. Arduino programming is also pretty simple that a novice can get working quickly. A motor controller board will really help with a smaller version.

I especially like the design for the Crop Circle Bot : http://wiki.farmbot.it/file/detail/Sketch%2C%20FarmBot%20for...

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