Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Koubachi WiFi Plant Sensor takes your cactii's temperature, sends it to your iPhone]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/21/koubachi-wifi-plant-sensor/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/21/koubachi-wifi-plant-sensor/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/21/koubachi-wifi-plant-sensor/#comments Image

Plants, like pets, need to be constantly cared for, but not everyone's blessed with the requisite green thumb. So, for those of you imbued with what we'll call the bad, brown touch, Swiss outfit Koubachi's got a cloud-based solution to sidestep those negligent ways and keep your window garden thriving. Dubbed the WiFi Plant Sensor, this wireless peripheral nestles into the soil of any potted flora or fauna, sending relevant vitality data off to the company's servers where it's then analyzed and beamed back to your handset (via iPhone app) or online account with care instructions in tow. You'll have to cough up £99 (about $156 USD) for the currently available European-only, golf club-like device, but that's about all -- access to the company's apps and services are free for users. So, if you've been dying to pull back the curtain on the secret life of plants or just sick of shelling out to replace your withering window collection, hit up the source below to get your order on. Official presser after the break.

Continue reading Koubachi WiFi Plant Sensor takes your cactii's temperature, sends it to your iPhone

Koubachi WiFi Plant Sensor takes your cactii's temperature, sends it to your iPhone originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 May 2012 20:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appappsgardeningIPhoneKoubachi iPhone AppLight intensityplantplantsSci/TechwifiMon, 21 May 2012 20:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Apple to pitch in on costs for improving Foxconn factory conditions]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/10/apple-to-pitch-in-on-costs-for-improving-foxconn-factory/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/10/apple-to-pitch-in-on-costs-for-improving-foxconn-factory/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/10/apple-to-pitch-in-on-costs-for-improving-foxconn-factory/#comments Tim Cook at Foxconn plant

Apple and Foxconn had already promised to improve working conditions at mainland Chinese factories, and Foxconn CEO Terry Gou has just revealed that the cooperation will be about more than just tightening up standards -- it'll be financial, too. The two companies plan to share the costs of making workers' day-to-day experiences more tolerable, although neither side is forthcoming with how much of the cost it plans to shoulder. Both Foxconn and likely Apple saw the better conditions as a "competitive strength," according to Gou, who implied that any costs would be paid back in goodwill and happier staff. Although it remains to be seen how much impact the cost sharing will have on Foxconn's ability to make its July 2013 target, that one of the contractor's many clients has actively volunteered cash to upgrade conditions is, as far as we can tell, a first.

Apple to pitch in on costs for improving Foxconn factory conditions originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 May 2012 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Applefactoryfactory workersFactoryWorkersfoxconnipadiphonelabormanufacturingmanufacturing jobsManufacturingJobsmobilepostcrossplantplantsworking conditionsWorkingConditionsThu, 10 May 2012 11:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Japanese researchers show off 'interactive' plants: real leaves, artificial emotions]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/04/japanese-researchers-show-off-interactive-plants-real-leaves/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/04/japanese-researchers-show-off-interactive-plants-real-leaves/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/04/japanese-researchers-show-off-interactive-plants-real-leaves/#comments Image
Looking for a little more companionship from your household plants? Then a team of researchers from Keio University in Japan may have just the thing for you. They've developed a rather elaborate system that promises to lets plants react to you and display a variety of different emotions (see "anger," pictured above). Yes, that's a real plant sprouting up out of the box, which contains sensors and microphones that monitor its surroundings, as well as some actuators that are connected to the plant itself with some fine cords. Lest you worry about the safety of the plants themselves, the researchers say that they've had plants rigged up like this for nearly a year and none have wilted. Of course, there's no indication of a commercial version just yet, but you can get a glimpse of the current state of things in the video after the break courtesy of DigInfo TV.

Continue reading Japanese researchers show off 'interactive' plants: real leaves, artificial emotions

Japanese researchers show off 'interactive' plants: real leaves, artificial emotions originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 02:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>interactiveinteractive plantinteractive plantsInteractivePlantInteractivePlantsjapankeio universityKeioUniversityplantplantsvideoWed, 04 Apr 2012 02:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Researchers grow crops on super thin film, do away with that pesky soil stuff]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/17/researchers-grow-crops-on-super-thin-film-do-away-with-that-pes/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/17/researchers-grow-crops-on-super-thin-film-do-away-with-that-pes/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/17/researchers-grow-crops-on-super-thin-film-do-away-with-that-pes/#comments Imec Here's the problem with plants: they require dirt which is, well, dirty. Japanese researchers at Mebiol have figured out a way to grow small crops of Earthly flora on clean sheets of hydrogel (commonly found in diapers), called Imec, that measures just tens of microns thick. Roots grow along the membrane, absorbing water through it, but the material is able to block out bacteria and viruses that could harm the plants. Of course, there are downsides. Water is absorbed at a much lower rate through the gel than with traditional soil, so plant size is limited and only the strongest and healthiest varieties can truly thrive on the flexible sheets. By using carefully selected plants and high quality fertilizer though, researchers were able to grow tomatoes, spinach and even melons, and hope to strengthen the film enough to support trees. Not bad for a substance normally used to absorb baby pee. Check out the video after the break.

Continue reading Researchers grow crops on super thin film, do away with that pesky soil stuff

Researchers grow crops on super thin film, do away with that pesky soil stuff originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Aug 2011 13:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cropshydrogelimecmebiolmebiol incMebiolIncplantplantssciencevideoWed, 17 Aug 2011 13:47:00 EST<![CDATA[Google doodle marks birthday of the pea meister, Gregor Mendel]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/20/google-doodle-marks-birthday-of-the-pea-meister-gregor-mendel/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/20/google-doodle-marks-birthday-of-the-pea-meister-gregor-mendel/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/20/google-doodle-marks-birthday-of-the-pea-meister-gregor-mendel/#comments Once in a while we see a Google doodle we just have to cover. This one marks the 189th birthday of Gregor Mendel, the father of genetics, whose vital discoveries about inheritance patterns in pea plants weren't fully acknowledged until after his death in 1884. Feeling overlooked in his final years, he famously promised himself that meine Zeit wird schon kommen ("my time will yet come"). And today, Gregor, it has.

Google doodle marks birthday of the pea meister, Gregor Mendel originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Jul 2011 10:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>birthdaygeneticsgooglegoogle doodleGoogleDoodlegregor mendelGregorMendelmendelpeapea plantPeaPlantpeasplantsWed, 20 Jul 2011 10:07:00 EST<![CDATA[Coca-Cola's green billboard consumes carbon dioxide like so much sugary soda]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/06/coca-colas-green-billboard-consumes-carbon-dioxide-like-so-much/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/06/coca-colas-green-billboard-consumes-carbon-dioxide-like-so-much/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/06/coca-colas-green-billboard-consumes-carbon-dioxide-like-so-much/#comments Sure, we've seen plenty of cool billboard features over the years, from facial recognition to interactive Pong games, but few have managed the dual feat of promoting a popular soft drink and making the world a slightly greener place. All of that fuzzy area you see surrounding the silhouette of the Coke bottle in the above 60 by 60 foot billboard is made up of a number of Fukien tea plants, each of which can soak up around 13 pounds of carbon dioxide per year, for a combined total of 46,800 pounds. The plants are housed in pots made from recycled Coke bottles and are watered via a drip irrigation system. The billboard is the product of a partnership between Coca-Cola Philippines and the World Wildlife Fund. No word on when it might be greening up more skylines around the world. Press release below.

Continue reading Coca-Cola's green billboard consumes carbon dioxide like so much sugary soda

Coca-Cola's green billboard consumes carbon dioxide like so much sugary soda originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Jul 2011 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adadsadvertisementbillboardbillboardscoca-colacokeenvironmentgreenPhilippinesplantspollutionrecyclingworld wildlife fundWorldWildlifeFundwwfWed, 06 Jul 2011 13:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Proposal would put a solar garden on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/26/proposal-would-put-a-solar-garden-on-the-brooklyn-queens-express/http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/26/proposal-would-put-a-solar-garden-on-the-brooklyn-queens-express/http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/26/proposal-would-put-a-solar-garden-on-the-brooklyn-queens-express/#comments
If you've ever spent any time on New York City's finest roadway, the Brooklyn Queens Expressway, garden is not one of the first words that comes to mind. That could change on one particular strip in Brooklyn if a concept -- which you see above -- gets approved and built. The concept is part of a project calling for solutions to a trench that runs from Carroll Gardens to the Columbia Street Waterfront in Brooklyn. Starr Whitehouse Landscape architects floated three possible solutions for improving the stretch, which would cost between about $10 and $18 million, very cheap in comparison to other projects of this type. The Green Canopy proposal calls for a massive plant covered canopy with solar panels to stretch over top of the entire area making it self-sustaining and reducing noise in the area. Hit up the source to check out the other proposed projects.

Proposal would put a solar garden on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Nov 2010 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bqebrooklynenergyexpresswaygreengreen canopyGreenCanopyhighwayhighwaysnew yorknew york cityNewYorkNewYorkCitynynycplantspowerqueensroadroadssolarsolar panelssolar powerSolarPanelsSolarPowertransportationtreesFri, 26 Nov 2010 15:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Ultrathin, algae-based batteries could charge things you never thought possible]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/29/ultrathin-algae-based-batteries-could-charge-things-you-never-t/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/29/ultrathin-algae-based-batteries-could-charge-things-you-never-t/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/29/ultrathin-algae-based-batteries-could-charge-things-you-never-t/#commentsSomehow or another, we've figured out how to send mere mortals to the moon, create (and mass produce) a laptop thin enough to floss with and add multitouch capabilities to a mouse. But for whatever reason, we're still stuck using AA batteries that last approximately one-fifth as long as you need them to. Outside of a few breakthroughs here and there, the battery industry at large has found a holding pattern that digs at consumers and likely fattens the wallets of those in charge. Thanks to new research surrounding the use of Cladophora (green algae) in a flexible, ultrathin alternative, it looks as if we may finally be onto something good. Researchers purport that these super skinny cells could be placed in areas where batteries are currently unable to go -- think of perpetually charged wall sensors, energized clothing or even light-up wrapping paper. Better still, prototypes have shown the ability to hold a significant charge, but unfortunately for us all, no specific production date has been pegged. A boy can dream though, yeah?

Ultrathin, algae-based batteries could charge things you never thought possible originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Nov 2009 02:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>algaebatteriesbatterybiodegradablecelluloseCladophoragreenplantplantsSun, 29 Nov 2009 02:07:00 EST<![CDATA[Le Petit Prince roving greenhouse robot is overwhelmingly cute, useful]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/29/le-petit-prince-roving-greenhouse-robot-is-overwhelmingly-cute/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/29/le-petit-prince-roving-greenhouse-robot-is-overwhelmingly-cute/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/29/le-petit-prince-roving-greenhouse-robot-is-overwhelmingly-cute/#comments Something about Le Petit Prince, the mobile, plant-loving greenhouse robot makes us indescribably sad. Is it his one, massive adorable eye? Or merely the fact that he's named after one of the most depressing books ever written? Either way, we can't really argue with his usefulness -- the concept can carry about plants and care for them, all the while ravaging the terrain for further specimens. He's also designed to learn about the optimal growing conditions of the plants he collects, which really makes us want one to care for a certain, finicky houseplant we won't call out by name (but we're looking at you, Venus Flytrap). Check out the darling video after the break.

Continue reading Le Petit Prince roving greenhouse robot is overwhelmingly cute, useful

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Le Petit Prince roving greenhouse robot is overwhelmingly cute, useful originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 29 Aug 2009 04:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>greenhousegreenhouse robotGreenhouseRobotle petit princeLePetitPrinceplant collectingplant collection robotPlantCollectingPlantCollectionRobotplantsrobotrobotsSat, 29 Aug 2009 04:17:00 EST<![CDATA[Glass leaves sweat to generate electricity, get nervous in public situations]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/03/glass-leaves-sweat-to-generate-electricity-get-nervous-in-publi/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/03/glass-leaves-sweat-to-generate-electricity-get-nervous-in-publi/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/03/glass-leaves-sweat-to-generate-electricity-get-nervous-in-publi/#comments Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Michigan and MIT have created glass "leaves" with networks of veiny channels filled with water. The smallest channels extend all the way to the edges of the leaf, where open ends allow water to evaporate, which draws water along the central stem of the leaf -- at a rate of about 1.5 centimeters per second. The glass leaves have been wired for electricity by adding metal plates to the walls of the central stems and connecting them to a circuit. Researchers then charge the plates and the water inside the stems creates two conducting layers separated by an insulating layer, which acts as a capacitor. The waterflow is then periodically interrupted with air bubbles, and every time a bubble passes through the plates a small electrical current is generated -- about 2 - 5 microvolts per bubble. The team thinks that on a large scale, artificial trees could be use to generate large amounts of energy entirely through evaporation.

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Glass leaves sweat to generate electricity, get nervous in public situations originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Aug 2009 04:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artificial treeartificial treesArtificialTreeArtificialTreeselectricityglass leafglass leavesGlassLeafGlassLeavesleavesleavfMITplantplantspowerpower generationPowerGenerationuniversity of california at berkeleyuniversity of california berkeleyuniversity of michiganUniversityOfCaliforniaAtBerkeleyUniversityOfCaliforniaBerkeleyUniversityOfMichiganMon, 03 Aug 2009 04:13:00 EST<![CDATA[Timelapse Garden Video Camera keeps tabs on plant growth / death]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/30/timelapse-garden-video-camera-keeps-tabs-on-plant-growth-death/http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/30/timelapse-garden-video-camera-keeps-tabs-on-plant-growth-death/http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/30/timelapse-garden-video-camera-keeps-tabs-on-plant-growth-death/#comments
For those of you looking to prove just how green your thumb really is, have a gander at the Timelapse Garden Video Camera. Offered up at the always intriguing Hammacher Schlemmer, this weatherproof garden tool engages in the tedious task of taking snapshots of your flora in customizable intervals and then weaving them together into a single 1,280 x 1,024 AVI video. The lens can focus as close as 20-inches away, and with the bundled 2GB USB flash drive, upwards of 18,000 photos can be stored at a time. Amazingly, we're told that it can operate for up to four months using four AA cells, and it even turns itself off at night and back on in the morning in order to not waste capture space and battery life. It's shipping now to hedgers, groundkeepers and everyday plantsmen for $159.95.

[Via OhGizmo]

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Timelapse Garden Video Camera keeps tabs on plant growth / death originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Mar 2009 08:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You know what's hard to find these days? Consistency and reliability -- in anything, really. But we've learned that when MIT touches something, it not only gets done, but it gets done right. Thus, we're absolutely elated to hear that a few of its students have dreamed up a fully autonomous greenhouse, utilizing real plants, sensors and gardening robots to ensure the greenest, most healthy crop possible. In fairness, we've already seen oodles of robotic plant tending apparatuses, but this is just something special. Thus far, gurus have used "re-imagined versions of iRobot's Roomba" in order to tell what a plant needs and then respond accordingly, and apparently, things have been going quite well early on. Check out a demonstration vid just past the break.

[Via MAKE]

Continue reading MIT dreams of fully autonomous greenhouse, will definitely make it happen

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MIT dreams of fully autonomous greenhouse, will definitely make it happen originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 Mar 2009 16:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Well, wouldn't you know it? That PlantSense prototype we peeked around this time two years ago has seemingly found the fundage to start up production, and at long last the revamped product is available for you to purchase. Now christened EasyBloom, this USB stake sensor analyzes important data when stuck in soil for 24 hours, after which it uploads the data to your PC (via USB) for determining whether or not a flower / tree / etc. should be planted there. Additionally, it can "diagnose what is wrong with an ailing plant," and it can even dole out a recommended list of which plants would be suitable for your environment. Sure, $59.99 may seem like a lot of green to toss out for something such as this, but it sure beats purchasing new flora every fortnight after you murder yet another round.

Gallery: EasyBloom USB stake sensor now shipping, plans celebrate

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EasyBloom USB stake sensor now shipping, plants celebrate originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Oct 2008 14:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>EasyBloomgardennow availablenow shippingNowAvailableNowShippingplantplantsPlantSensesensorsensorsshipshippingshipsusbusb sensorUsbSensorMon, 27 Oct 2008 14:26:00 EST<![CDATA[Cyber-Rain XCI gives you wireless control of your sprinkler system]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/15/cyber-rain-xci-gives-you-wireless-control-of-your-sprinkler-syst/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/15/cyber-rain-xci-gives-you-wireless-control-of-your-sprinkler-syst/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/15/cyber-rain-xci-gives-you-wireless-control-of-your-sprinkler-syst/#comments
Frustrated with that exorbitantly high water bill stemming from all the H20 wastefully spewed out from that non-intelligent sprinkler system? Enter the Cyber-Rain XCI, which gives owners wireless control of up to eight watering zones. After hooking up the controller(s) and plugging a wireless access point into your PC via USB, users can look forward to the solution automatically tweaking their irrigation system based on weather conditions, seasons, etc. It'll even log water savings and chuck out a graph to prove its value. C'mon, you know it's worth $349 to make your thumb look way greener than it actually is (and save some water, too).

[Via Unplggd]

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Cyber-Rain XCI gives you wireless control of your sprinkler system originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Apr 2008 01:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cyber-rainirrigationlawnplantssprinklerXCITue, 15 Apr 2008 01:23:00 EST<![CDATA[DIY kit lets houseplants Twitter when they need water]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/25/diy-kit-lets-houseplants-twitter-when-they-need-water/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/25/diy-kit-lets-houseplants-twitter-when-they-need-water/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/25/diy-kit-lets-houseplants-twitter-when-they-need-water/#comments
Finally, your mind-exploding, breakdown-inducing struggle to keep your houseplants watered regularly is getting a little help. A group called Botanicalls has come up with a method to monitor your plants remotely, then be Twittered when they need some water. Taking a slightly different direction than the ThirstyLight, the system is based around the popular (and versatile) Arduino board, which is combined with a DIY moisture sensor, and a small piece of code that will alert you when your greenery is starting to need a drink. Look, we'll be honest with you: it's a pretty complicated process to go through just to figure out when your plants need water, but if you're as serious about flora as we think you are, this will be a dream come true.

[Via Make]

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DIY kit lets houseplants Twitter when they need water originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Feb 2008 08:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arduinobotanicallsdiyhouseplantsplantplantswaterwateringMon, 25 Feb 2008 08:34:00 EST<![CDATA[ThirstyLight keeps watch on plants so you don't have to]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/24/thirstylight-keeps-watch-on-plants-so-you-dont-have-to/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/24/thirstylight-keeps-watch-on-plants-so-you-dont-have-to/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/24/thirstylight-keeps-watch-on-plants-so-you-dont-have-to/#comments
While it won't keep watch on your plants and water them like some devices we've seen, the so-called ThirstyLight will at least handle one part of that equation, with it sending out a signal in the form of a blinkin' LED light when your plants' soil gets dry. That's handled by a "Drypoint Digital Circuit," which checks moisture levels once per second and is able to discern between five different levels of dryness (relayed to you by blinking patterns of increasing urgency). If that sounds like the solution to your plant problems, you can pick one up now for $10, or get 'em in bundles of three, six, or twelve at a discount.

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ThirstyLight keeps watch on plants so you don't have to originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 24 Nov 2007 11:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>plantplantsthirstylightSat, 24 Nov 2007 11:24:00 EST<![CDATA[HortiBot: the autonomous, GPS-enabled weed eradicator]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/05/hortibot-the-autonomous-gps-enabled-weed-eradicator/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/05/hortibot-the-autonomous-gps-enabled-weed-eradicator/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/05/hortibot-the-autonomous-gps-enabled-weed-eradicator/#commentsHortiBot won't go down as the first robot with weed extermination as its sole mission in life, but this particular robot ups the ante in a serious way. Conjured up by a team of Danish agricultural scientists, the three-foot by three-foot autonomous machine is "equipped with a computer and GPS to find the exact location of weeds," and being that it's also reportedly self-propelled, you hardly have to keep an eye on it. Moreover, the device can be flanked by an array of weed-removing attachments depending on a farmer's specific needs, and promises to curb "herbicide usage by 75-percent." Currently, the cost of one Hortibot would run around $71,000, but the crew hopes to land a manufacturing partner and reduce those charges when it (hopefully) goes commercial.

[Via Slashdot, image courtesy of HortiBot]

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HortiBot: the autonomous, GPS-enabled weed eradicator originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Jul 2007 15:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agriculturalagricultureDanishfamingfarmerfarmingHortibotplantsprototypeweedsThu, 05 Jul 2007 15:42:00 EST<![CDATA[Green Light device purifies air using plantlife]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/08/green-light-device-purifies-air-using-plantlife/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/08/green-light-device-purifies-air-using-plantlife/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/08/green-light-device-purifies-air-using-plantlife/#comments
The days of using energy-hogging machines to purify your household air are all but over, at least if Natalie Jeremijenko, Amelia Amon, and Will Kavesh of the Experimental Design Lab have anything to say about it. The Green Light device is a nature lover's dream come true, as it melds LED lighting with "indoor air purification using living plants" in order to pull triple duty as a "chandelier, terrarium, and air filter." The useful creation is slated to be on display at the HauteGreen 2007 expo in New York, and considering that the "entire system is designed with products and parts that are both recycled and recyclable," we'd say it should fit right in.

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Green Light device purifies air using plantlife originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2007 07:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>air purificationair purififierAirPurificationAirPurififiercarbon-neutralenergyExperimental Design LabExperimentalDesignLabgreengreen lightGreenLightHauteGreenledplantplantsTue, 08 May 2007 07:47:00 EST<![CDATA[Wi-Aquarium: the WiFi-enabled fish tank]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/17/wi-aquarium-the-wifi-enabled-fish-tank/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/17/wi-aquarium-the-wifi-enabled-fish-tank/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/17/wi-aquarium-the-wifi-enabled-fish-tank/#commentsWe've seen everything from WiFi-enabled PMPs, robots, and even gardens, but a recent creation showcased at the Embedded Systems Conference in California took remote access abilities underwater. While not as profound as a bay-patrolling nuke detector, Lantronix's Wi-Aquarium was able to grab the bronze for its snazzy internet-enabled fish tank, which reportedly "allows users to remotely control and monitor their aquarium anytime from anywhere in the world." Moreover, users can login and keep an eye on the situation via webcam, and they can even dictate the water temperature, lights, and filter from afar. The standout feature, however, is the ingrained ability of the tank to send the owner emails containing status reports of several key metrics, which should certainly keep you connected to your sea-dwelling pets no matter your location. Now this is what Tamagotchi should have been from the start, eh?

[Via The Raw Feed]

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Wi-Aquarium: the WiFi-enabled fish tank originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Apr 2007 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>animalAquariumcreationdesignfaunafishfish tankfishesfishingFishTankflorainternetinventionLantronixplantplantstankWi-AquariumwifiTue, 17 Apr 2007 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PlantSense unveils USB stake sensor to prevent plant malnutrition]]>http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/23/plantsense-unveils-usb-stake-sensor-to-prevent-plant-malnutritio/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/23/plantsense-unveils-usb-stake-sensor-to-prevent-plant-malnutritio/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/23/plantsense-unveils-usb-stake-sensor-to-prevent-plant-malnutritio/#comments What was once an art form of sorts has become somewhat of an antiquated skill, as touting a green thumb certainly isn't as awe-inspiring as it used to be; with gizmos like RFID-enabled terrariums, hydroponic gardens, and remote-controlled greenhouses, it shouldn't be all that difficult to keep that flora flourishing. Giving further aid to the clueless plant owner is a USB stake sensor that resides a few inches beneath the soil, and provides "information about light, moisture, soil composition and other factors that can affect plant growth and health." Start-up PlantSense has designed the intelligent stake to relay the data via USB to a subscription-based website, where it informs users what they're doing wrong (too much sunlight or not enough fertilizer, for example) as well as "providing recommendations on which plants might grow best in a particular microclimate." The self-proclaimed "lifecycle development platform" will likely sell for $49.95 (includes a stake and one year of data analysis) if it can scrounge up the necessary funds from eager VCs, while additional years of the service will run $20 -- but that's a small price to pay if your home-based garden looks more like a cemetery anyway.

[Via Engadget Chinese]

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PlantSense unveils USB stake sensor to prevent plant malnutrition originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Oct 2006 11:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gardenplantsplantsensestakeusbusb sensorUsbSensorMon, 23 Oct 2006 11:09:00 EST<![CDATA[Matsushita Electric Works busts out remote-controlled garden]]>http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/13/matsushita-electric-works-busts-out-remote-controlled-garden/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/13/matsushita-electric-works-busts-out-remote-controlled-garden/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/13/matsushita-electric-works-busts-out-remote-controlled-garden/#commentsEven if you've got the greenest thumb in your neighborhood, sometimes exerting all that effort to hydrate your flora just doesn't seem worthwhile. Presumably satisfying the couch dweller in us all, Matsushita Electric Works has remarkably created yet another invention that keeps us firmly planted on that oh-so-comfortable couch, all while giving the utmost attention to those needy azaleas. The remote-controlled Aiterrarium is an indoor gardening system in which the florescent lighting, temperature, humidity, and food / water supply is all controlled via the internet; with just a few clicks, you can make critical tweaks to the environment of your indoor greenhouse, and thanks to an "optional camera system," you don't even have to be home to watch your plant life blossom (or perish). While these are being primarily aimed at universities and agricultural research centers, there's just two things stopping you from snapping up your own -- scrounging up the ¥600,000 ($5,017) required to purchase one, and finding the motivation to actually dial up Matsushita.

[Via Far East Gizmos]

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Matsushita Electric Works busts out remote-controlled garden originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Oct 2006 11:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aiterrariumgardeninggreenhousegrowinginternetMatsushitaplantsFri, 13 Oct 2006 11:56:00 EST