SoilRevive SoilRevive is a biomimetic AI microbial system that restores polluted farmland through low-carbon, regenerative heavy metal remediation.
- Nationality
- Taiwan
- Group
- Liu Chia-Yi
About Project
SoilRevive is a biomimetic AI microbial system developed to restore farmland contaminated by heavy metals. Traditional excavation-based remediation methods generate high carbon emissions and cause secondary damage. On the contrary, SoilRevive draws inspiration from the detoxification mechanisms of Arabidopsis roots and the networks of fungi, translating the idea into an electro-mechanical design. This innovative system analyzes soil conditions in real time and releases microbes when needed to neutralize toxicity, restoring land and allowing farmers to cultivate it once again.
The device is more than a machine — it’s an integrated system with a microbial incubator, sensors, and an AI control module. Thank to it user-friendly design, the users simply need to replenish water and dried microbes once a month, while the system operates autonomously. This low-carbon, automated structure reduces farmers’ losses, lowers the risk of contaminants entering the food chain, and directly safeguards food security. During the field trials, farmers and local communities participate to calibrate soil-specific standards, while the data is shared as open source allowing both academia and the public contribute to ongoing improvements.
With over 50 million hectares of farmland are damaged by contamination globally, SoilRevive offers a beacon of hope for a more sustainable future: its modular design and locally maintainable system make it an ideal solution for farms across Asia, Africa, and South America.
One unit can remediate a radius of 5 meters, with 4–5 units required per 1/10 hectare, making it practical for real farm-scale use. This project advances environmental justice and social equity, positioning itself as an innovative design model for sustainable agriculture and resilient communities.