This project had its focus on enchanted objects and more specifically on how to transform an ordinary everyday object into an enchanted one by sparking creative ideas, embedding technology and hooking users through the wonderful power of fascination. We decided to focus on houseplants.
Imagine you had just purchased a new gorgeous plant so your place feels more like home, now all that is left is to not forget to water it and take proper care of it. Sounds like an easy task, right? Well, not really… you most likely have previous experience with forgetting to water your plants and ended up throwing them into the trash. So how do so many of us end up with wilted and dead plants shortly after purchasing them? Looking through the top results of Google about houseplants, you will find a surprising number of links titled ‘Keeping plants alive’ or ‘How not to forget to water my plant’.
<p-under-img>Anyone with a plant at home knows their little green friends are full of personality and their leaves and color are a great indicator of their wellbeing and mood. However, not everyone is born with a green thumb. A lot of people struggle to understand what their plants need.<p-under-img>
According to numerous studies house plants can improve one's productivity, boost their concentration, reduce stress and enhance their mood to make them feel happier.
To make a simple plant pot enchanted we worked with two main drives - telepathy and immortality. We wanted to create a pot that communicates its needs to the plant owner and therefore improve the chances of the plant to stays alive and thrive. We used LED lights as well as a temperature and Soil moisture sensor to detect and indicate the plant's needs. After a few prototyping and testing phases, we had a working prototype that brought our concept to life.
<p-under-img>Bloom is going to change the life of house plants worldwide and enable plant owners to feel more connected to their green friends. You no longer need to be naturally good at gardening to keep your plants from living their best life. No more over-watering, under-watering or frying your plants in the sun. Not only is Bloom a stylish pot that will look great in your home or office, but it ensures what your green buddy needs in order to thrive.<p-under-img>
Bloom's special design features a two-piece plant pot, coming together as one. The translucent glass used to make the pot allows for the beautiful reflection of colors of the light signals at the bottom of the pot, which are used to communicate what the plant really needs.
There are 5 different LED indicators: yellow indicates that the plant needs more sun/is too cold; the red light indicates that it has had too much sun; the blue light specifies that it has had too much water; the green light means it needs more water and the clear light shines when the plant is happy and content. Sensors within the pot trigger the corresponding needs of your plant after measuring the air temperature, soil moisture, and light exposure.
To take full advantage of the sun Bloom has built-in solar panels around the rim that generate energy for the pot to operate successfully.
As part of our methodological approach, we did a field study at the Danish Museum of Art and Design where the main purpose was to get inspiration. Apart from that we conducted user interviews where we asked a focus group about their experiences with plants. Furthermore, we did a desk research where we looked at similar inventions, as well as studied the psychology behind using certain colors.
<p-under-img>We played around with the different drivers to see which ones would be most relevant to use in our case. However what had the most significant part in this project was Prototyping – an essential step in the development process that helps you test your product and see all the spaces for improvement – that included doing user tests, as well as researching and testing the translucency of different materials and fabrics to find the proper ones to use.<p-under-img>
The sole purpose of the first prototype was to highlight the different functions Bloom would have. We used basic everyday objects and materials to create our first vision for Bloom. This was done by taking a ceramic flower pot and then attaching LEGO pieces all over the outside of the pot. There are 4 different colored LEGO blocks that represent the LED lights that would flash when the plant needs care. Each color has a specific meaning:
When the plant is happy it would also spin around. This was represented by creating a simple mechanism that uses a string to spin the pot. This feature was removed in the next iteration.
When creating the second prototype we concentrated mainly on the aesthetics and functionality. We added a solar panel to the rim of the pot, which would convert sunlight into energy to be used by the pot. The Q-tips represent the led lights or optical fiber lights (at this point we were considering which form of light to use). The pot is hollow between the inner layer and the outer in order to make room for the lights and tech to be embedded. The outer layer of the pot has tiny holes in order for the lights to sit inside the pot's surface and not stick out of the pot.
The 3rd prototype was aimed at showing the final pot design for Bloom. This prototyping phase started off with drawing up a sketch of what the 3D model should look like. Following a group discussion, including an outsider (for a fresh and professional opinion) the design for the 3D model quickly changed.
The blueprint drawing for the 3D model before a group discussion was very similar to prototype 2. However, during the discussion it was agreed that the lights should sit at the bottom of the inner pot (the outside edge). The lights would come up through the holes at the bottom. The outer pot would be made of translucent glass that the lights would shine through, reflecting a soft light.
<p-under-img>The final design for the 3D model still includes 2 pieces, an inner and outer pot that create one pot when assembled. This time, however, the lights and tech are placed within a hollow space on the bottom of the pot. The inner pot is able to slip perfectly into the outer pot, with the inner pot having a 45 degree angle rim that essentially seals the pot into place. On the rim of the pot, solar panels would be embedded, generating enough energy for the pot to communicate its needs.<p-under-img>
A 3D model was created in Fusion 360 and later on printed using a 3D printer. Unfortunately, the printer could not finish printing the model but that was later considered a more unique design by the audience.
We created the last prototype using Arduino Uno. With the help of the Arduino micro-controller, the breadboard, a couple of wires, sensors and LED lights we were able to bring our project to life.
We used temperature and soil moisture sensors to measure the values of both, and then used lights to indicate each different state and let the plant owner know what the plant needs. We did a lot of testing to figure out the range for those values and make sure our code and connections work properly.
