Design a farm machine of the future

24 April 2020

A photo of a green tractor in the middle of a sugar beet field.

Get your inventing cap on! This challenge is all to do with Agritech, which is a term used to describe the incredible technology used in farming. Think ahead to 2040, what might technology look like?

 

The challenge: design a farm machine of the future

Some of the problems farmers face are:

  • Not having enough people to pick some types of crops by hand

  • Heavy machinery squashes the soil and stops plants from growing

  • Tractor drivers get tired having to work round the clock at harvest time

  • Farmers want to protect the environment

Things to think about

  • What job will it do on the farm?
  • How will it be different from the machines we see today?
  • What type of fuel will be used in the future?
  • How will it help the environment?
  • How will it save farmers time and energy?
  • Will the tractor be driverless?

How could you present your design?

It’s up to you what your design looks like. Here are just some suggestions:

  • A video showing an explanation of the design, any research that has been done and any specific problems the design solves
  • Pictures – either hand drawn or digital
  • An advertisement or pitch of the final design
  • A PowerPoint or Prezi Presentation
  • Photographs of models/prototypes made using recycled materials, construction toys or robotics kits

The sky is the limit and we definitely encourage creativity!

harry robot_57818