This year, the Brain Autonomy and Resiliency (BAR) Lab had the privilege of joining our esteemed colleagues from the University of Tennessee at Martin’s College of Agriculture and Applied Science at the 39th Annual Training Conference & Career Expo of the National Society for Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS). The event was an exciting opportunity for us to engage with future college students, share cutting-edge knowledge, and explore new avenues for growth in agriculture, natural resources, and technology.
Engaging Students with Smart Farming and Virtual Reality
During the conference, our lab facilitated four rounds of hands-on workshops aimed at exposing students to two dynamic and rapidly growing fields: Smart Farming and Virtual Reality (VR). Each workshop was designed to provide students with a practical understanding of how emerging technologies are reshaping the agriculture and natural resources industries.
1. Smart Farming: Revolutionizing Agriculture
As the world’s population continues to grow, smart farming techniques are becoming increasingly crucial for ensuring sustainable food production. Our Smart Farming workshop highlighted how technology is transforming traditional farming methods into data-driven, automated processes. Students learned about the integration of sensors, drones, and IoT devices to monitor soil health, optimize water usage, and track crop development in real-time. Through interactive demonstrations, attendees gained insights into how smart farming can reduce environmental impact, increase efficiency, and improve food security.
2. Virtual Reality: Bridging the Gap Between the Digital and Physical Worlds
The Virtual Reality workshop focused on how VR is being used to simulate agricultural environments and natural resource management practices. With VR technology, students had the opportunity to immerse themselves in simulated ecosystems, exploring different agricultural practices and land management scenarios from the safety of the virtual world. This powerful technology allows researchers, farmers, and conservationists to test new approaches and visualize the impact of various decisions before they are implemented in the real world.
