A crowdfunding campaign titled “Many Little Pigs!” has been launched by researchers at the University of Milan-Bicocca to develop an instrumental prototype that combines the behavioral responses of piglets with artificial intelligence tools to distinguish healthy soil from contaminated soil. The project is part of the VI edition of BiUniCrowd, an initiative of the University of Milan-Bicocca.
Earth pigs are ancient crustaceans that colonized the mainland millions of years ago. They adapted to the new environment by exhibiting gregarious behavior, sticking together to reduce individual contact with the air. However, when exposed to contaminated soil, they fragment and exhibit signs of stress. This makes them ideal for monitoring soil pollution levels.
The first step in combating soil pollution is to monitor contamination levels accurately and efficiently. Researchers at Milan-Bicocca have developed a non-invasive method that uses earth pigs’ gregarious behavior as an indicator of soil pollution levels. By studying how piglets react, they aim to determine the pollution levels in the soil quickly and accurately.
To fund this project, 10,000 euros must be raised through a crowdfunding campaign on Ideaginger.it. Supporters can donate on the project page and may receive rewards like having their garden soil analyzed for health or even getting a chance to meet some real-life earth pigs!
The “Many Little Pigs!” project aims to revolutionize soil pollution assessment by using advanced technology and earth pigs’ behavioral responses to identify contaminated soil accurately and efficiently. By working together with supporters and donors, researchers hope to create a sustainable method for protecting our environment from pollution while also providing valuable information about our environment’s health.