What is Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and how does it affect Li Xia?

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is an incurable genetic disease that progressively weakens muscles. Li Xia suffers from it, rendering him quadriplegic and reliant on a ventilator to breathe.

Who helps Li Xia with the manual tasks on his hydroponic farm?

Li Xia's 62-year-old mother, Wu Dimei, assists him with all the manual labor required on the farm, working closely with him.

Home / Science / Man With DMD Runs High-Tech Farm With One Finger

Man With DMD Runs High-Tech Farm With One Finger

Q: How does Li Xia manage his high-tech farm despite being quadriplegic?

Li Xia uses a custom-developed computer program, a trackball controlled by his finger, and a flex sensor on his toe to operate sensors, cameras, and systems remotely from his bed.

29 Jan

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Summary

A quadriplegic man uses technology to run a hydroponic farm from his bed.
He controls sensors, cameras, and systems with one finger and a toe.
His mother assists with tasks requiring manual labor, calling their partnership symbiotic.

Man With DMD Runs High-Tech Farm With One Finger

Li Xia, a 36-year-old residing in Shiping village near Chongqing, China, is overcoming severe physical limitations to run a sophisticated hydroponic farm. Diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), an incurable genetic disease, Li is quadriplegic and relies on a ventilator for breathing. He can only control one finger and one toe, yet he manages four greenhouses located 10 meters away.

Utilizing a custom-developed computer program, a trackball controlled by his finger, and a flex sensor on his toe for clicks, Li monitors crucial farm data like temperature, humidity, and nutrient levels via cameras and sensors. His 62-year-old mother, Wu Dimei, assists with the necessary manual farm tasks, describing their relationship as 'I am her brain, she is my arms and legs.'

Since a medical crisis in 2020 that led to his paralysis, Li has dedicated himself to this venture, combining his rural upbringing with his passion for digital technology. His celery is now sold to a local supermarket chain, and while the farm is not yet profitable, Li dreams of expansion and improving his family's financial situation, relying on his sister's income and his mother's pension.