Jung Jun-sung's Yeomindongnak (342) Robot Water Vein Detection Rod

The act of detecting water veins and the like is called dowsing.

The tool used for this is called a 'water vein rod' or 'dowsing rod.'

In the past, a Y-shaped branch made of birch or hazelnut wood was used.

Now, in the case of an L-shape, two right-angled metal rods, typically made of copper, are commonly used.

One is held in each hand, with the longer direction pointing forward.

If a water vein is detected, the long metal rods cross each other, forming an X-shape.

Water vein detection is used not only for water veins but also for minerals, oil, burial sites, geomancy, and even tunnel exploration.

However, scientific evidence has not been proven to date.

Scientists explain that the movement of the water vein rod is typically a manifestation of the ideomotor effect.

In other words, it is a phenomenon in which one exhibits subtle muscle movements based on one's beliefs.

Of course, cases of finding water veins do occur, but most are said to be 'coincidences.'

In the era of AI and advanced robotics, such practices are gradually disappearing.

This is because the development of semi-autonomous robots that measure soil moisture content has become common as scientists develop technology to solve water shortage problems in agriculture.

The pace of advancement is also accelerating.

Looking at the content published in the international academic journal 'Agricultural Systems and Computers,' one can see the pace of evolution thus far.

The robot developed by Professor researchers at the University of California, Riverside measures the electrical current in the soil using two 35-centimeter-long sensors as it moves.

This utilizes the principle that electrical current flows better when there is more water in the soil.

Based on this, it can detect soil moisture levels up to 12 meters underground.

And remarkably, the robot creates maps of different soil moisture levels for each tree on farmland and even provides the appropriate timing and location for watering.

The research team has named this robot the 'modern-day robot water vein detection rod' and plans to have it used in actual farms, they say.

The robot measures 43 centimeters wide, 51 centimeters long, and 25 centimeters tall.

It is said to be able to navigate uneven terrain such as unpaved roads and farmland.

It seems the day is not far off when this becomes an essential item (?) for geomancers and 'dowsers.'