My Role
Product Design
UX Research
4 weeks
Dec 2023
Figma ,Adobe Illustrator
AutoCAD, Rhino,
2D / 3D Printer
Xinran Cheng,
Catherine Chen,
Louisa Shi, Ashwin Nishad
Duration
Tools
Team
FloraCloud
A Smart Plant Care System
Overview
Despite hectic schedules, finding solace in tending to plants remains a therapeutic respite. However, the prevalent rain and clouds in Seattle pose challenges to maintaining plant vitality. Our objective is to enhance plant resilience and streamline home plant care for individuals with demanding lifestyles, aiming to facilitate a more manageable and enjoyable plant maintenance experience within their home environments.
Gallery
Demo Video
Background
Keeping plants is common nowadays as they not only add a touch of nature to indoor spaces but also offer numerous health and well-being benefits. Beyond being trendy decor elements, plants contribute to improved air quality by absorbing pollutants and releasing oxygen.
Our team has unanimously agreed that despite the availability of products in the current market enabling plants to undergo a self-watering process, it remains insufficient for sustaining vibrant plant health.
We aim to cultivate desktop plants within the confines of small to medium sizes and devise a device that can enhance the well-being of plants according to its type.
Our design solutions will revolve around the concept of developing a plant pot apparatus that facilitates both self-fertilization and self-watering simultaneously. In pursuit of this goal, we conducted research on existing self-watering plant products in the market and ideated several solutions as follows.
Ideation
To address this situation, our team conducted marketresearch on existing products, enabling us to ideatesolutions that facilitate the easy care of multiple plants forbusy individuals.
Solution #3
Cloud and Sun shaped add-on for watering and sunshine
When it is always shady outside, it is also important to maintain some lighting for plants. Also, a cloud-shaped watering makes it look fun and interesting.
Solution #1
A versatile and innovative plant care mat that sits underneath many standard plant pot, designed to provide optimal hydration and nutrition to the plant through smart technology.
Hydration and Nutrition Mat for Plant Pot
Sketches
Following that, we combined the functions from the three solutions and sketched ideas and delib- erated on creating a unified apparatus for multiple plants. Our focus is on enabling self-cycling clean water and ensuring sufficient light for the plants.
Solution #2
Built-in water and fertilizer pot
In pursuit of the goal of building an apparatus that facilitates both self-fertilization and self-watering simultaneously for a planter.
Pain Points
Despite hectic schedules, nurturing plants serves as a therapeutic escape. Yet, in Seattle's frequent rain and clouds, maintaining plant survival poses a challenge. Our goal is to improve plant resilience and streamline home plant care for busy individuals.
How can we improve plant resilience andsimplify plant care for busy individuals intheir home environments?
How can we improve plant resilience andsimplify plant care for busy individuals intheir home environments?
Initial Prototype
Our initial prototype aims to be a self-sustaining plantcare system with several aesthetic elements. We handcrafted the initial physical prototype, allowing us to quickly adjust and iterate.
Final Design
The iterative process highlighted the importance of continuous refinement and material selection for waterproofing, using sprays, adhesives, and mechanical seals. Testing functionality allowed for early problem identification, with future designs aiming to streamline assembly and enhance space efficiency.
Iterations
In our pursuit of enhancing usability and product design, we explored variousmethods to optimize water self-cycling. Our approach seamlessly integrates asmall water pump with plant holders to ensure efficient water circulation. Forvisualization and experimentation, we utilized 3D printing and laser cutting tocraft specific parts of the apparatus.
Our conceptual sketch for iteration
River-like water flow plantholders
Plant holder with grid design facilitating controlled water drain-age down a slope.
Cylinder-shaped plant holders with water drainage capability
Given the size of the apparatus, we proceeded with a hybrid approach, incorporating both 3D printing and laser cutting to achieve the desired outcome.
The procedure we followed to construct the prototype is displayed on the left.