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Flourish: Plant Health Sensing
Assignment:
Use light for a purpose besides standard illumination
Focus:
Light as an indicator for plant health
Problem:
House plants often die because plant owners are unaware of the status of their plants' health and their needs
Format:
Individual
Duration:
4 weeks, 2022
(+ revisions, 1 week, 2024)
Research: The Average Plant Owner
Plant Killers
Underwatering
#1 Plant Killer:
Improper Watering
(overwatering + underwatering)
Overwatering
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The average plant owner has killed 7 houseplants
Many plant owners are unsure of their specific plants' needs. One of the most common mistakes owners make is overwatering, showing that (most often) the plant is not dying due to lack of energy on the owner's part but rather a lack of information.
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User Persona
Simplifying Care — Key Plant Needs
While there are many plant needs, the user cannot easily balance them all without a high level of expertise. Fortunately, there are two key plant needs that are the foundation of the majority of problems plant owners encounter: sunlight and water. Monitoring these needs can give a good view of overall plant health.
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Ideation: Lighting & Function
Exploration: Form
Exploring form to complement the plant by mimicking nature.
Pattern
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Experimenting with natural patterns to fit form.
Flourish
Flourish: Health Indicators
The product base displays soil moisture levels (in blue) and sunlight exposure (in yellow). Through illuminated color, the light quickly informs the plant owner if the plant is healthy, or if it is not, what the primary issue to attend to is. On the left, solid color indicates a deficit of sunlight or moisture (the default assumption), while a line and color indicates excess.
(!) Unhealthy Plant
Problem(s): excess soil moisture & deficit of sunlight exposure
Unhealthy Plant
Problem(s): sunlight exposure deficit
Semi-Healthy Plant
Contributor(s): good soil moisture
(✓) Healthy Plant
Contributor(s): good soil moisture, good sunlight exposure
Sensors and Electronics
The main electronics are located in the base, but the sensor embeds into the soil at the top. As a result, the wire travels up through the metal piece to the top of the pot. The sensor connects to this metal piece, which is where the product receives the sunlight exposure and soil moisture data.
Sensor In-Use
Cord path to sensor
Form and Finish
Both the vining pattern and raw material finish (of the steel and wood) mimic plants in nature. This natural aesthetic blends and compliments the beauty of the plant it holds.
In Context
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