THE RHIZOSPHERE IS PRESENTLY ACCESSIBLE WITH LABORIOUS AND DESTRUCTIVE MANUAL LABOR (SHOVELOMICS). THIS RESULTS IN INFREQUENT MEASUREMENTS BY VISUAL INSPECTION, MOST OF THE POSSIBLE DATA TO COLLECT IS NOT. AT THE SAME TIME, OUR POPULATION IS INCREASING AND CROP DIVERSITY IS DECREASING. INCLUDING LOGISTICAL ISSUES FROM PANDEMICS AND OTHER POTENTIAL DISASTERS, IT IS CLEAR THAT THE SENSITIVITY OF OUR FOOD SUPPLY TO DISRUPTION IS GREATER THAN IT HAS EVER BEEN, WITH THE CONSEQUENCES MORE DIRE. AT THE SAME TIME THAT OUR FOOD SUPPLY IS AT RISK, ROBOTICS HAS BECOME AN INCREASINGLY VIABLE OPTION FOR USE IN FIELD. THERE ARE MANY COMPANIES THAT HAVE ARISEN TO ADDRESS CROP MONITORING VIA DRONES AND WHEELED PATROLS. THESE SAME ADVANCES, HOWEVER, HAVE NOT TRANSLATED UNDER SOIL. THE FIELD OF SOFT ROBOTICS, HOWEVER, HAS PRODUCED SOLUTIONS THAT CAN BE TRANSLATED TO BIOMIMETIC APPROACHES SUCH AS WORMS WHICH, OF COURSE, HAVE NO PROBLEMS MANEUVERING IN SOIL. WE WILL AUGMENT OUR WORM-LIKE SOFT ROBOTS WITH FRONT POSITIONED AUGERS TO PROVIDE A COMBINATION DIG AND UNDULATE APPROACH TO SOIL SWIMMING. WE WILL INCORPORATE HUMIDITY SENSORS AND OPTICAL FIBERS INTO THE ROBOT TO USE FLUORESCENCE FOR SENSING AND IMAGING THE RHIZOSPHERE IN A CONTINUOUS FASHION, RATHER THAN EXTREME INTERMITTENCY FROM SHOVELOMICS. THE DATA SHOULD ALLOW PLANT BIOLOGISTS TO UNDERSTAND THE EFFECTS OF WATER STRESS ON ROOT AND PLANT HEALTH, AND PROVIDE INSIGHT TO AGRONOMISTS FOR MAKING DECISIONS TO ASSIST CROPS DURING VARYING SOIL CONDITIONS. ULTIMATELY, WE AIM TO MANAGE OUR CROPS TO PRODUCE GREATER YIELDS UNDER WORSE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS.