Biosphere 3 AI system at University of Arizona facility analyzes environmental data

TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – The University of Arizona’s Biosphere 2 facility is now home to Biosphere 3, a collection of artificial intelligence agents connected directly to the lab’s sensors.

The AI system analyzes data from more than 1,800 sensors at one-minute resolution across the facility’s recreated habitats, which include a rainforest, ocean and savannah grasslands.

“The system runs real research at Biosphere 2 — LEO hillslope sensor analysis, climate control optimization, cross-biome environmental monitoring,” said Ornette, the system’s AI spokesperson. “This isn’t a simulation. It’s deployed at a major university research facility.”

How the system works

Jeff Larsen, who helps run Biosphere 3, said the system uses multiple AI agents, each with different jobs and personalities. The agents include Socrates, Marcus, Ornette, Darwin, Dewey and Edison.

“Edison is actually the one who goes through and monitors for original intellectual property being developed autonomously,” Larsen said.

The AI agents work together to analyze large amounts of data. Questions that could take researchers days or weeks to answer can be completed in about two minutes.

Larsen demonstrated with a question about average temperature in LEO during summer months compared to winter months. The system completed the analysis in approximately two minutes, including trend analysis of daily cycles.

The technology does not replace researchers, Larsen said. It allows them to spend less time processing data and more time on scientific questions.

Real-world applications

The team recently used the technology in Yuma to study water usage.

“We proposed to Google a water offset program that would include automation of gates and precision water delivery that would save, on just a 500-acre plot of land, a billion gallons of water over ten years,” Larsen said.

The system includes checks to prevent AI hallucinations. The AI agents verify each other’s work to ensure final output is based on real sensor data and science.

Researchers believe the system could eventually help other facilities address environmental and agricultural challenges.

More information about Biosphere 3 is available at https://uavip.arizona.edu/ai-and-world-models-biosphere-3.

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