Integrated Solution
Author: Group
Problem:
Dramatically increasing urbanization within New Zealand will lead to a very limited amount of space available to grow forests leading to the year 2070. This is because more land is being used to facilitate housing for our growing population. Not only that, but what little available land there is, is under threat from all sorts of diseases and parasites. During this period of progression, technology is expected to rapidly develop, allowing for greater use within all industries. As this happens, alternatives to timber will become cheaper and more viable, becoming a threat to natural timber. This research group’s task is to future proof the timber industry in light of these foreseen issues.
Main Issues:
Technology - Human and robotic modifications
With rapid advancement in human and robotic modifications, it will be a problem by itself if this isn’t used in the timber industry. However, these modifications will be used to target common issues and improve multiple areas within the industry. The issues are the health and safety of workers, pollution of the environment and energy consumption of the processes. The areas of improvement are the overall efficiency, supply and the automation of the operation.
Solution
Off/onsite controlled exosuits with assisting drones.
Land Availability
Land availability is an inevitable issue in the future, as population increases will cause a larger demand for timber products. This will result in a fight for space, of both equally essential urban expansion and forest plantations.
Solution:
A floating platform with data recording sensors will be controlled by advanced dynamic positioning systems, allowing full movement of the platform in all directions.
Disease
The NZ timber industry is highly susceptible to parasites, fungi and disease. After all, there can be no timber industry without timber. As well as the local threats that New Zealand faces to trees, such as kauri dieback, there are a plethora of diseases overseas in countries like America and Japan that could wreak havoc if they reached our shores.
Solution:
Move a large proportion of timber plantations onto offshore floating platforms.
Timber Alternatives
As technology advances alternative building materials will become more viable. This will eventually make timber obsolete as the available options become cheaper and more beneficial to the buyer.
Solution:
By injecting the roots of trees with composite materials during growth, a stronger, more versatile timber product will be created that can outperform the alternatives and provide a more sustainable future.
Exosuit/Drones
Exosuits can be controlled either directly through physical human interaction or from a distance through a control centre
The exosuit will be constructed with reinforced material. Hydraulic pumps and multidirectional ion engine will provide the exosuit with the strength and movement needed. The front face of the exosuit will extend with half faced visor, providing the wearer with essential information. A thought reader will be placed on one shoulder of the exosuit; to enable the wearer to communicate to the drones.
Programmed into the exosuit will be a danger detection monitor, prompting the exosuit to move if necessary. The suit will be powered by a small nuclear fusion reactor.
Specifically assigned to every exosuit will be 4 drones, these drones will obey the commands given by the exosuit, however if no commands are given, the drones will operate autonomously, performing set tasks.
Drones will be constructed with reinforced material. Ion engines will provide strength and movement, while that ion engine will be powered by a small nuclear fusion reactor. The drone will be fitted with a refuelling nozzle, allowing the drone the refuel the exosuit when needed. 360o 3D cameras will be fitted onto each drone, this will connect to the command centre to 3D project the visual intake.
Composite Grafting
By growing the trees in predetermined positions on the deck of the plantation it is possible to install growth control systems to feed the nutrients required to the trees and simultaneously inject the composite materials into them. This is done by using channels containing movable spike strips that are fed by a system of tubes linked to a control hub which pumps in nutrients and composites as required.
The spikes initially lock into a set of roots, and as the tree grows the spikes slowly move outwards to compensate for root growth, while still maintaining the positioning of the trees. This method means that the trees will grow strong and fast, while giving the harvested lumber all of the benefits of other competing wood composites.
Floating plantation - Land Availability
The floating platform will consist of an advanced dynamic positioning system, allowing movement in all directions from tunnel and azimuthal thrusters, and engine propellers. The control system includes many sensors that record data, such as wind speed and direction, wave height and direction, global positioning, the change in horizontal angle of the platform, water salinity, temperature, and depth finders. This data is relayed to a control hub, where programmed computers automatically change the position of the platform via thrusters to protect against potential problems out at sea. The whole system is designed to give the forest plantation the best chance of surviving in adverse weather conditions, whilst increasing space on land for urbanisation, and increasing the output of timber supplies.
Floating plantation - Disease
This floating platform will be constructed of a super-strong yet lightweight carbon-based material and will rest on a network of floating buoys, with a large honeycomb-structured tube surrounding it. Power will be generated by point absorbers, which harness wave energy regardless of direction of travel and will be placed between the buoys. Habitation units will be placed near the edges to allow easy access to ships and boats. A system of roads will allow access to the entire plantation, while a harbor allows ships to dock to load timber onboard.
Integrated Solution
A floating plantation is placed in the ocean to preserve land space within New Zealand; trees are grown on this island. The island itself is able to move through dynamic positioning, which is controlled though data recording sensors that operate thrusters. The plantation sits on a network of buoys which allows room for wave point absorbers; these provide power to the plantation systems. The structure itself is made of a lightweight carbon based material. On the deck of the plantation, the trees will be grown in a controlled system, where the roots are placed into channels which provide the nutrients needed by the trees and inject the composite materials. The trees are harvested by exosuits, which can be controlled either manually with direct contact or remotely from a command centre. Each exosuit is assigned drones to assist with the needed operations.
Milestones, Risks, and Solutions
2016 – Project commissioned.
2018 – Tree diseases introduced by tourists become a serious threat to the NZ timber industry.
2024 – Carbon nanotubes developed.
Risks: The technology is not completed in time or is unsuitable for use on the project.
Solutions: Use an alternative material.
2030- First prototype is successfully launched.
Risks: Prototype is not completed. Loss of funding as it will require a large amount of venture capital. Wave point absorbers unable to create power.
Solutions: Delay launch until prototype is ready. Secure investment from multiple sources including industry, government, and private investors. Use alternative energy source.
2035 – Exosuits/Drones are developed.
Risks: Technology incapable of performing as intended.
Solutions: Use more powerful machinery, use manual labour instead of exosuits.
2040 – Dynamic positioning (sensors and thrusters) developed.
Risks: Thrusters not powerful enough to propel plantation. Sensors unreliable in rough ocean conditions.
Solutions: Use more thrusters, use an alternative movement method. Develop alternative process for monitoring.
2042 – Thought reading technology developed.
Risk:There is a lot of initial knowledge of this field, however the risk is involved with the depth of the understanding. The brain patterns are known, however there are slight to no changes when thinking of different words/commands.
Solution:The delay in the development would require no alternative solutions; just the previous communications would continue to be used.
2045 – Successful combination of composite grafting found.
Risk:A successful combination is not found, research and funding come to a halt.
Solution:This is a difficult area to find an alternative solution for as it is an alternative solution itself. The solution for money is to get government approved funding. The successful combination for grafting only needs to be found before 2050 (year when first plantation is purchased)
2045 – Government approval.
Risk: Government doesn’t approve
Solution:Reverse propaganda to influence the government that this is the right way to go.
2050 – First floating plantation is purchased by NZ timber industry.
Risk: No one is interested, therefore no purchase.
Solution:Propaganda to influence buyers that this is the right way to go. Government funding will also be a great attraction.
2060 – Miniature nuclear fusion reactors developed.
Risk:The development in nuclear fusion is perhaps one of the most important for mankind; therefore I believe a lot will be done to speed this process up. However, delays could still occur in the making of the smaller scale nuclear fusion reactors.
Solution:Until a miniature nuclear fusion reactor is made, hydrogen fuel cells will be used to power the exosuits/drones.
2060 – International attraction for floating plantation.
Risk:No attraction
Solution:Doesn’t matter; New Zealand will do better than all of them.
2070 – 40%+ of NZ timber is produced via floating plantation.