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.

The family moved into a prefabricated home in 2022. Wu Dimei works tirelessly, managing both Li's daily care and the farm's manual operations, often sleeping only three to five hours a night. Despite these challenges, she states the family is "quite happy" with their situation and Li's progress.