VOA慢速英语--加州一家公司在温室里使用机器人种植作物

California Startup Uses Robots in Greenhouses to Grow Crops

A California company is using robots to grow plants in greenhouses that it says use 90 percent less water than traditional farms.

The company, Iron Ox, operates several greenhouses and has plans to expand. It recently announced a new $50 million investment. The financing was led by Breakthrough Energy Ventures, a company established by Microsoft founder¹ Bill Gates.

At a 930-square meter center in Gilroy, California, Iron Ox uses a self-driving robot named Grover to transport containers of plants. The large greenhouse uses hydroponics, a system designed to grow plants in materials other than soil, such as water.

The company says each container, known as a module², carries 30 liters of water and about 70 seedlings³ as it moves. Another machine uses robotic arms to lift the top of the plants out of the water. This permits the roots to be inspected. Sensors⁴ also examine the water, measuring levels of nitrogen and acidity⁵.

Iron Ox claims the system uses 90 percent less water than traditional farms, as well as 90 percent less electricity than indoor farms using LED lights. LED stands for light emitting diode, which produces light up to 90 percent more efficiently⁶ than regular lights.

Sarah Osentoski is the company's senior vice⁷ president of engineering. She told Reuters news agency she believes robots like these can help prepare for a more sustainable future. "I think it's a really exciting way we can move forward in agriculture right now," Osentoski said.

"I really believe that we need to grow in a way that could feed the future of the world without hurting the Earth," she added. "So, a big part of our mission is to grow more with less."

The company notes that in its greenhouses, any water not used can be pumped back into the system to be reused later.

Agriculture is an important part of California's economy. But water usage has increasingly become a concern. The last major drought in 2012-2017 cut water for farmers, forced household usage limits and fueled deadly wildfires.

Iron Ox currently grows Thai basil and strawberries and is working on cilantro, parsley, and tomatoes. The company plans to build a new 50,000-square-meter greenhouse in Lockhart, Texas. There, the robots will be moving about 5,400 modules⁸.

Iron Ox CEO Brandon Alexander told Reuters that building the company has been "an eye opener" for him and others. "I think we're now at a stage where most people understand that conditions are only getting worse," he said.

The system includes another inspection⁹ station that uses overhead cameras to capture three-dimensional (3D) images of the plant. Scientists use this data to study crop production levels.

"We want to give each plant exactly what it needs and nothing it doesn't," Alexander said. After the sensors examine the plants, the system provides suggestions for what is missing. "What does that plant need that we're not giving it."

Sarah Osentoski sees the robotic, indoor system expanding in the coming years to become a scalable model. "I think it's a really interesting way to bring modern technology in a controlled setting to agriculture. And it lets us do things that grow in ways that are really unique and different," she said.

Words in This Story

venture – n. a new business activity that may or may not be successful

acidity – n. the amount of acid in substance

sustainable – adj. involving methods that do not completely use up or destroy natural resources

drought – n. a long period of time during which there is very little or no rain

stage – adj. a period of development

three-dimensional (3D) – adj. having or appearing to have length, depth and height

scalable – adj. able to grow or be made larger

unique – adj. different from most other things

1 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

2 module   

n.组件，模块，模件；(航天器的)舱

参考例句：

• The centre module displays traffic guidance information.中央模块显示交通引导信息。
• Two large tanks in the service module held liquid oxygen.服务舱的两个大气瓶中装有液态氧。

3 seedlings   

n.刚出芽的幼苗( seedling的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Ninety-five per cent of the new seedlings have survived. 新栽的树苗95%都已成活。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• In such wet weather we must prevent the seedlings from rotting. 这样的阴雨天要防止烂秧。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 sensors   

n.传感器，灵敏元件( sensor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were more than 2000 sensors here. 这里装有两千多个灵敏元件。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Significant changes have been noted where sensors were exposed to trichloride. 当传感器暴露在三氯化物中时，有很大变化。 来自辞典例句

5 acidity   

n.酸度，酸性

参考例句：

• This plant prefers alkaline soil,though it will readily tolerate some acidity.这种植物在酸性土壤中也能生存，但硷性土壤更加适宜。
• Gastric acidity would not prevent the organism from passing into the gut.胃的酸度不能防止细菌进入肠道。

6 efficiently   

adv.高效率地，有能力地

参考例句：

• The worker oils the machine to operate it more efficiently.工人给机器上油以使机器运转更有效。
• Local authorities have to learn to allocate resources efficiently.地方政府必须学会有效地分配资源。

7 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

8 modules   

n.模块( module的名词复数 )；单元；（宇宙飞船上各个独立的）舱；组件

参考例句：

• The course consists of ten core modules and five optional modules. 这门课程包括十个必修单元和五个选修单元。
• Our English course is divided into modules on poetry, drama, and novels. 我们的英语课分为诗歌、戏剧和小说等单元。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 inspection   

n.检查，审查，检阅

参考例句：

• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。
• The soldiers lined up for their daily inspection by their officers.士兵们列队接受军官的日常检阅。