Drones, robots and autonomous systems
can transform the natural world in and around cities for people and wildlife.
International research,
involving over 170 experts coordinated by a Northumbria University academic,
assessed the opportunities and challenges that this cutting-edge technology
could have for urban nature and green spaces.
The researchers highlighted opportunities
to improve how we monitor nature, such as identifying emerging pests and
ensuring plants are cared for, and helping people engage with and appreciate the
natural world around them.
As robotics, autonomous
vehicles and drones become more widely used across cities, pollution and
traffic congestion may reduce, making towns and cities more pleasant places to
spend time outside.
But the researchers also
warned that advances in robotics and automation could be damaging to the
environment.
For instance, robots and
drones might generate new sources of waste and pollution themselves, with
potentially substantial negative implications for urban nature. Cities might
have to be re-planned to provide enough room for robots and drones to operate,
potentially leading to a loss of green space. And they could also increase
existing social inequalities, such as unequal access to green space.
The research, recently
published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, is
authored by a team of 77 academics and practitioners. Among them is first
author Dr
Mark Goddard, who conducted the work whilst at the
University of Leeds before joining Northumbria as a Vice-Chancellor’s Research
Fellow within the Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences in Autumn
2019.
Speaking about the findings he
said: “Spending time in urban green spaces and interacting with nature brings a
range of human health and well-being benefits, and robots are likely to
transform many of the ways in which we experience and gain benefits from urban
nature.
“Understanding how robotics
and autonomous systems will affect our interaction with nature is vital for
ensuring that our future cities support wildlife that is accessible to all.”
Lead author Dr Martin Dallimer,
from the School of Earth and Environment at the University of Leeds, added: “Technology,
such as robotics, has the potential to change almost every aspect of our lives.
As a society, it is vital that we proactively try to understand any possible
side effects and risks of our growing use of robots and automated systems.
“Although the future impacts on
urban green spaces and nature are hard to predict, we need to make sure that
the public, policy makers and robotics developers are aware of the potential pros
and cons, so we can avoid detrimental consequences and fully realise the
benefits.”
The researchers conducted an
online survey of 170 experts from 35 countries, which they say provides a
current best guess of what the future could hold.
Participants gave their views
on the potential opportunities and challenges for urban biodiversity and
ecosystems, from the growing use of robotics and autonomous systems. These are
defined as technologies that can sense, analyse, interact with and manipulate
their physical environment. This includes unmanned aerial vehicles (drones),
self-driving cars, robots able to repair infrastructure, and wireless sensor
networks used for monitoring.
These technologies have a
large range of potential applications, such as autonomous transport, waste
collection, infrastructure maintenance and repair, policing and precision
agriculture.
This work was funded by the
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
