The Aeropod automates soil aeration without robotics. See it at TechCrunch Disrupt.

Muju Earth’s Aeropod is a fingernail-sized device that farmers drop into soil with seeds, eliminating the need for traditional tilling. When exposed to temperature, pressure, and moisture, it bursts to create channels that improve air, water, and root movement, potentially cutting tilling costs from £250-£400 to about £100 per hectare. The startup is launching paid field trials in the U.K. with nine farmers and targeting onion growers first.