UV-Guided Indoor Pollination With Arthropod Trapping Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Indoor farming lacks efficient pollination methods for fruiting crops due to the absence of arthropods, making human, drone, or robot pollination less effective and costly, limiting the cultivation of such crops.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and system utilizing UV light sources to attract and guide arthropods for pollination, including a first UV light source for flower detection and a second UV light source for arthropod collection, controlled by a microprocessor based on environmental conditions and pollination requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If arthropods are introduced for natural pollination in indoor farming, then pollination efficiency is improved, but pest and pathogen ingress risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the indoor farming space into separate zones: a controlled release area for arthropods and a cultivation area for plants. This segmentation allows arthropods to be introduced for pollination while maintaining physical separation that prevents pest and pathogen ingress into the cultivation zone.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary containment structure that facilitates arthropod movement between the release area and cultivation area. This intermediary mechanism enables controlled pollination while acting as a barrier against harmful organisms, resolving the contradiction between pollination efficiency and pest prevention.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If human, drone, or robot pollination methods are used, then pest and pathogen ingress is prevented, but cost effectiveness and efficiency decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs self-service mechanisms where arthropods autonomously perform pollination tasks. The automated release and containment systems allow arthropods to independently navigate and pollinate plants without requiring human intervention, drones, or robots, thereby maintaining high efficiency while preventing pest ingress through controlled environments.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If indoor farming is restricted to leafy vegetables, then pest and pathogen risk is reduced, but crop variety is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal pollination system that can serve multiple crop types within the same indoor farming facility. By implementing controlled arthropod release mechanisms, the system enables fruiting crops to be cultivated indoors alongside leafy vegetables, expanding crop variety while maintaining low pest and pathogen risk through standardized containment protocols.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Facilitates efficient indoor pollination of fruiting crops by attracting and removing arthropods on demand, increasing crop variety and yield while being organic and automated.
Implementation Method 1
a first ultraviolet (UV) light source configured to emit pollination enhancing light
Implementation Method 2
a second UV light source housed in the arthropod trap and configured to emit arthropod attracting light
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for indoor pollination, an indoor pollination system and a method for indoor pollination. The apparatus for indoor pollination includes a first ultraviolet (UV) light source configured to emit pollination enhancing light, an arthropod trap, and a second UV light source housed in the arthropod trap and configured to emit arthropod attracting light. A microprocessor is configured to switch on or off the first and second UV light sources depending on pollination requirements.