agriculture IoT startup n.thing has developed ‘planty cube,’ an automated vertical farming system that allows users to maintain crops at any time and from anywhere. the system connects like LEGO bricks with a modular design made up of multiple capsules called pickcells that contain the seeds of each plant.
live from las vegas: this article is part of designboom’s coverage of all the latest launches from CES 2020 live from the trade show grounds.
images courtesy of n.thing
to demonstrate its potential, n.thing has developed a smart hydroponic farm that uses the planty cube design. shaped like a shipping container, it is made of stacked rows and shelves of planters on each wall with each pickcell roughly two inches in width, length, and depth. after seeds are sown through their smart seed capsules, a computerized system controls the environment by monitoring plant health and adjusting the LEDs, temperature and humidity, accordingly. the planty cube system, which uses sensors to collect data on the plants, can also be controlled via a smartphone, presenting the unique opportunity to farm remotely.
the grow system can work in a number of different settings, from an apartment to a cafeteria, and is automated enough that plants can thrive without constant human attention. the ease of use also makes it simpler for clients who want to start vertical farming businesses, to increase the size of their farm at low-costs, over longer periods of time, and in line with their individual business growth.
a number of companies are developing vertical farming concepts including LG who launched its own indoor vertical farm at CES 2020. unlike glasshouse production, which relies on sunlight, vertical farming makes use of led lighting to provide different wavelengths of light, according to crop and growth stage need. these high-tech units are being presented as the solution to many of the challenges facing traditional production methods, such as pollution and water use.
project info
company: n.thing
product: planty cube
award: CES 2020 best of innovation award
event: CES 2020
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It is laughable at best that this received an award. Innovative? This is a regurgitation of multiple existing companies products in the container farm landscape. 7 years old already, and hundreds of these are in place around the world. One would think the folks at CES would have been better aware of existing tech that is superior to this for some time.
Hi there, amazingly innovative. Would Love to discuss collaboration as we can use this design in our models we’re putting together in redesign of poorer aeas in Cape Town (and Morgans Bay then other areas… to migrate across Africa) Please find me in Linkedin to arrange a conversation. Well Done for the award. 2020 Hindsight + Foresight = Do it Better Collaboration is Key. #Pi
Alasdair! Don’t give up, find other partners to work with. Mail me…. I am in the horticulture industry here in India and could find a partner for your micro reservoir system.
[email protected]
Many years ago I invented a micro reservoir system for the protection and nurturing of the seed to seedling to establishment process in degraded or arid soils but recently I have come to realise that it has excellent benefits for the indoor vertical farm Market. Unfortunately although the component materials to develop a prototype have matured in the last five years or so, I’ve gone into debt because of it which is why I cannot match UK Government grants to get the required R&D effort done.
Continue to provide any further development.