Italian scientists have built a robot with the shape of a seed and with the ability to explore the soil based on humidity changes. Based on a type of geranium, it is made of biodegradable materials and is able to move within the surrounding environment without requiring batteries or other external sources of energy.

The I-Seed is the first 3D-printed seed-robot, and was created at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT-Italian Institute of Technology). The artificial seed is capable of transforming itself and moving around the environment autonomously, and may find applications in various fields, from environmental monitoring to reforestation.