From hospital bed to high-tech farm: How one man defied paralysis with just a finger and a toe

Representative image (Courtesy: AI generated)

• Li Xia built a smart farm system from his hospital bed using IoT technology
• His mother helped with physical tasks, turning Li's design into a working farm
• Li's system became a profitable business and inspired many with his resilience

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Most people imagine huge open fields and physical hard work when they think about farming. But for 36-year-old Li Xia from Chongqing in south western China, farming meant designing a smart agriculture system from a hospital bed. Diagnosed with muscular dystrophy when he was a young child, Li gradually lost his ability to walk and do simple things himself and now relies on a ventilator to breathe. He nonetheless studied and did very well in physics, computer science, and programming.

Learning against the odds

Li's interest in technology started when he was young, before his condition got worse. His sickness had made him quit school while he was in the fifth grade, but he continued teaching himself programming and electronics via online forums and books. The result is mastery of skills most his age would struggle with, even if they enjoyed full mobility. By age 25, Li had a good understanding of how to code and design systems-a foundation of what would be his future accomplishments.

Building a smart farm with minimal movement

Early in 2021, Li discovered soilless farming-a process more technically referred to as hydroponics. A lightbulb just went off: he could combine Internet of Things-IoT-technology with agriculture to generate a nearly controllable system. With his one movable finger and one usable toe, Li started operating a virtual keyboard to write the software to develop the complete intelligent farm control system. He is now able to manage and regulate the humidity, nutrition, and temperature of the space with his bed as his command center.

Because he could not manage the physical chores himself, Li's mother, Wu Dimei, became his hands in the real world. Under his guidance, she learned to solder control boards, install wiring, assemble circuits, and maintain the various pieces of equipment on the farm. The two teamed up to bring the entire smart farm together, marrying Li's digital prowess with her newfound technical skills.

Turning innovation into a business

It was originally a personal project; however, in due time, it worked out well for Li's smart farming system and the produce soon sold for a profit, proving that his method works, not only on paper but also as a business. In the future, Li wants to expand the system by testing other types of crops and technologies, such as cherry tomatoes and more advanced IoT automation.

Inspiration beyond technology

But Li Xia's story speaks volumes beyond technology and agriculture: it is about courage, curiosity, and resilience that transform major limitations into opportunities. Working from his bed with just the use of finger and toe, he has rewritten what is possible for people with disabilities and inspired many across China and even around the world.