BioUrban robotic tree fights pollution by performing the work of 368 real trees

if mexico knows something, it is air pollution. from time to time, mexico city is paralyzed by smoke from cars, industries and even the nearby volcano the popocatepetl. to fight this, a group of engineers has a new proposal to reduce the problem. created by BioMitech and dubbed BioUrban, the project sees a kind of artificial tree that, like its natural peers, absorbs pollution and returns clean air. this invention seems promising, especially for those who suffer most from pollution: pedestrians, senior citizens and cyclists.

all images courtesy of BioMitech

the BioUrban robotic tree by BioMitech has a system that is able to inhale the contamination and, through the use of technology, imitate a tree’s natural process of cleaning air. featuring a metallic structure, the tree captures the contamination through micro algae and carries out a photosynthesis process 365 days a year to return the clean air. according to its creators, one BioUrban robotic tree can perform the work of 368 real trees.

despite this hopeful figure, the four-meter-high robotic tree does not seek to replace real trees but rather to complement them. it is actually intended to be installed in more urban places, with high pedestrian traffic, vehicles, cyclists and public transportation. the first of these devices was installed in puebla, mexico, and has a price that varies from project to project, but is somewhere around USD $50.000.

project info:

name: BioUrban

company: BioMitech

price: around USD $50.000