About Hydrofood 7000
Grow life, grow health with Hydrofood!
In recent years, we have experienced firsthand how various natural disasters have affected the residents of our beautiful commune, particularly impacting small livestock farmers. It is here where we have identified a serious problem associated with the lack of food for the animals.
Ñuble and other regions have suffered from the effects of climate change, whose main consequences have been fires, droughts, and floods that destroy the crops that produce food for livestock.
In response to this problem, we created HYDROFOOD 7000, an autonomous hydroponic farming module that allows for the production of fresh food under any climatic condition, ensuring the supply of fodder for animals, maintaining the production chain, and food security.
STAGES OF HYDROFOOD 7000
First prototype
Our first prototype was an industrial production module that could generate 300 kg of food in just 7 days. This device featured an automatic irrigation system and a temperature sensor.
Second prototype
Our second prototype was an improvement over the first, in which we added a circular irrigation system that recycled water for reuse. Additionally, we included a temperature sensor and a climate control system, considering that our device has to work in extreme weather conditions (cold – heat).
Final Prototype
Finally, we built a new prototype, smaller and collapsible, which has a lower food production volume but allows for home use. Additionally, we included the use of a mobile app that allows for monitoring crop conditions and programming irrigation frequency.
HYDROFOOD 7000 TEAM
Debora Escalona
How was your experience developing the project to apply for The Creators?
My experience being part of the Hydrofood 7000 project was truly incredible and deeply enriching. We had a goal, we fought for it, but we never forgot to enjoy the process. I basically liked everything about it, discovering new places, learning. It was something new for me, where I learned about teamwork, camaraderie, and above all, the importance of trusting oneself and always giving one’s best. Meeting people from other regions was very interesting, hearing about their projects and also their personal lives was enriching. Knowing that throughout Chile there are thousands of young people and adults who are seeking to be a help to the problems presented today is hopeful.
What would you tell other boys and girls to get them interested in science and technology?
I would tell those young people to always give their all, that imagination has no limits, and that their desire and interest in science and technology are the true weapons for change. To trust in themselves, in their abilities, and goals. That the dedication and effort we put into what we desire will always have a reward.
Constanza Durán
How was your experience developing the project to apply for The Creators?
It was a very exciting experience with many challenges. We practiced resilience and creativity a lot because, regardless of the economic difficulties we faced, we managed to move forward with what we had at hand. Thanks to this, I was able to realize what it is like to work together with other people who may not always have the same idea, but who are all aiming for the same objective. This helped us develop our tolerance better.
What I liked most about this experience was sharing my daily life with people who had the same interests as me, working hand in hand to achieve the same goal. I found it interesting to see how we all have the same taste for innovation, technology, and science, but at the same time, we have such different realities in each of the regions. Sharing our experiences is very surprising because, as teenagers, we realize that there is really another world out there to explore and get to know.
What would you tell other boys and girls to get them interested in science and technology?
They shouldn’t be afraid of failure or what others might say; they should always follow their interests, experiment, and discover their abilities. If they hold back like I did once before, they will never discover how beautiful it is to create through science and technology.
Brayan Cancino
How was your experience developing the project to apply for The Creators?
It was a very good experience, and one of the most important things I learned was that when developing a project or an idea, problems always arise. However, that’s the wonderful thing about creating new things—you learn to solve the problems that arise and, of course, improve the idea until you manage to reach a prototype.
What I liked most was teamwork, which is also a challenge because you share great ideas and can only carry out one. Without a doubt, what I like most is sharing with classmates and teachers who have the same interest in the sciences.
Regarding meeting students from other regions, I found it wonderful to be able to share with them, share ideas, share our progress in creating, and how our interest in creating was born. You learn a lot by sharing ideas with classmates with the same interests.
What would you tell other boys and girls to get them interested in science and technology?
Children, never stop dreaming, but always strive to turn your dreams into goals. Science and technology are already a part of our lives. There’s always room to create or improve a project, with perseverance and discipline. This way, you can achieve your big dreams and ideas. Never stop creating and dreaming!
Manuel Muñoz
How was your experience developing the project to apply for The Creators?
My experience was very interesting because in order to apply, we had to spend a lot of time thinking about how our project was going to be, so we could apply. What I liked most was the great experience of being able to participate in the competition, and I thought it was a great opportunity to meet students from other areas to learn more about places I have never seen before.
What would you tell other boys and girls to get them interested in science and technology?
What I would tell other children is to go for it, as it’s a unique experience and they will learn a lot from it, and above all, they will have a great time.
Rodrigo Henríquez
How did you feel about meeting other teachers and students from all regions of the country, united by the same goal?
The positive energy and good vibes could be felt from the first day. We all came with the idea of competing; however, that didn’t stop us from sharing experiences and advice, building friendships, and learning about other realities. Meeting other teams that were in the same mindset as us was very motivating and rewarding, giving us the opportunity to improve our own process.
Why do you think it is important to teach digital skills and innovation to students?
The world we live in is very different from the one 40 or 50 years ago, yet the education system still prioritizes the memorization of content. On the other hand, technological advancement in the last 40 years has been overwhelming, and what is considered innovative today may be obsolete in a couple of years.
This is why I believe it is crucial to prepare the new generations to adapt to changes, to innovation, to new technological tools, and especially to make good use of them (ethics).
About their school
The Manuel Bulnes High School, located in the commune of Bulnes in the Ñuble Region, is a municipal educational institution that offers scientific-humanistic and technical-professional education with environmental and social commitment. It aims to help young people and adults achieve their life projects through constructivist methodologies.
IMAGES GALLERY
The entire team of «Hydrofood 7000«, the first national project of the Digital Talent Award
«The Creators» 2023, travels to the
United States to immerse themselves in the technological
ecosystem of the No. 1 region of innovation and
entrepreneurship in the world: Boston, Massachusetts.
This trip was possible thanks to:
