Robot-based automated collection of eDNA

The historic Kunming-Montreal Agreement of 18 December 2022 marked a significant milestone as over 200 countries came together to commit to the cessation and reversal of biodiversity loss. However, achieving a nature-positive future remains a formidable task, hindered in part by the absence of efficient and accurate tools for capturing comprehensive snapshots of global biodiversity. This is precisely where the integration of robots and environmental DNA (eDNA) technologies can truly make a difference.

The assessment of biodiversity through eDNA entails the collection and sequencing of genetic traces shed by local species within their environment. This innovative approach has revolutionized biodiversity monitoring by offering a non-invasive means to detect multiple species, including those that are notoriously elusive, from a single environmental sample, such as water, soil, or air. While eDNA surveys hold immense potential, the collection of samples continues to be a labor-intensive and costly aspect of the workflow. Robots equipped with specialized collectors and advanced perception capabilities have the power to automate the process of eDNA collection, thereby providing standardized and cost-effective biodiversity surveys even in challenging and inaccessible environments. By leveraging these automated systems, we can overcome the limitations of manual sampling, reduce cost, and expedite data acquisition.