Ambulo

Forestry With Nature and Human in Center
Timeline | 5 weeks, Spring 2020
Tools | Photoshop, Rhino and V-ray  
Background |  This project showcases a new way of tackling soil compaction and caring for nature with a lightweight forestry machine where the driver has a new role as a planer. The Planner is closer to nature, guiding the machines to walk or not and plan for the extreme weather change.  
Team | Ellinor Werner, Lisa Holmgren, Nikita Zatonskiy, Oscar Olsson, Petra Persson

The collaboration partners

Problem statement

How can future forestry work in symbiosis with nature by managing soil damage and disruption in a more extreme climate?

Project goal

During this project, the goal was to work “normal” working hours (40h a week) and work as a team. Another goal was to create an environment where all group members felt like they could contribute and design for nature as a stakeholder.

Process
Design for nature
Teamwork
Conceptual thinking
working offline
To better develop the ideas early, we meet up in the team to brainstorm and ideate in person.
working online
Most of the work was done remotely using Miro and Teams tools to communicate and showcase our ideas.
Creative workshop
We invited four different stakeholders to our creative workshop: Sveaskog, Norra Skog, Skogstekniska Klustret and SLU.

The main input we got was that planning is as important as rebuilding the machine, if not more.
a working day with Ambulo
06:00 
Arriving at the site
We arrive in the morning at the harvesting site, where the Companions are stationed.
06:10
Reviewing the site together
My work partner Sara is a senior planner. Together we review the known data of the spot.
06:30
Outlining the site
We start the Sampler equipment and begin marking the outer area where the Companions can walk with the stick.
07:15
Mapping objects to preserve
On the way back to the hub, I scanned some trees to preserve with the Sampler.
Result
Increased biodiversity
Our persona: Freddie, the pine tree, and some of his siblings were left to grow. They provide a habitat for many insects.
11:30
Lunch
Sara and I meet at the hub and have our lunch outside together.
12:30
Continue mapping
We continue to observe and listen to nature when planning where the Companions should walk.
14:30
Replanning the week
Sara and I discuss what is shown on the map on Friday. Heavy rain will draw in, and we need to replan to take care of the most sensitive areas.
05:00
November 10th, Friday
Clouds are gathering...
05:07
November 10th, Friday
Clouds are getting heavier...
05:14
November 10th, Friday
The rain is pouring down.
08:45
Supervision
The ground is very wet from the downpour, so I need to supervise and guide the Companions during the morning.
09:00
Morning meeting
I meet up with Sara to discuss the state of the work.
09:10
Route evaluation
We can see on the map that the downpour has affected the soil quality of the routes that we made. So I suggest another way close by.
10:00
Soil probing critical areas
The area close by could be suitable but it depends on soil quality. I probe the ground using the Sampler.
10:05
Evaluating soil sample
The soil turned out to be too sensitive in here as well. I draw another route, it's a bit longer, but it will avoid causing deep tracks.
Result
No leakage of mercury
The deep tracks were avoided, which meant no toxic methylmercury leaked into the lake where Perka the perch and her brothers live.
Main result
Healthy soil
The soil compaction caused by the Companions was reduced. This meant that the living conditions for bacteria and roots were preserved.
AMbulo components
Companion
Maps
Sampler
Feedback
“I hope this concept will be on the market before I retire.”
‍Linnea Carlsson, Technical Specialist at Sveaskog
“The outcome of this project contained everything I could wish for and more. You delivered a nice overall concept and I got tears in my eyes when I saw your view of a working day in the future.”
‍Linda Nyström, collaboration partners and CEO of Skogstekniska klustret
Challenges

Result

It was challenging working as a team over digital platforms and interacting over screens, for example, when ideating. Designing for nature was also a challenge, as we could only interpret information from human experts and spending time in nature. So we can only assume our result will be helpful for the ground compaction and nature in general.

Ambulo System consists of four things: Ambulo Companion, the future forwarder, which is a lightweight, walking, autonomous vehicle. ​Ambulo Planner, a human worker that plans the route of the machine. Ambulo Maps, a wearable planning system for the Planner that controls the system, and Ambulo Sampler, a device that takes soil samples.

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