Sprout
Plant Moisture Sensor
Fall 2024
Two week design sprint
Teammates
Minha Kim
Skills
CAD, Laser Cutting, Electronics
Motivation + User Research
Our house plants were dying prematurely due to inconsistent care caused by everyone's busy schedules. To address this, I designed and developed an automated moisture sensor system to monitor soil hydration levels and ensure timely watering.
My role involved designing the look and feel of the device using CAD and 3D printing. This project allowed me to apply my mechanical and design skills to create a user-friendly solution that promotes plant health by simplifying plant care.
Common Interview Themes
Most difficult aspect of plant care:
Remembering to water them regularly
Knowing how much to water them
Current system:
Watering when plant looks droopy
Watering randomly
Home decor preferences:
Simple aesthetic
Playful
➔
Design Considerations
Provide an obvious visual cue to water plants
Monitor soil hydration levels
Create a system that facilitates regular watering
Minimalistic and playful design
Ideation + Prototyping
Inspired by Nature
I wanted to design a product that reflected the shapes of plants found in nature. From the user interviews, I discovered that décor is a significant factor for most college-aged students with house plants. As a result, it was important for the Sprout to blend into the environment seamlessly.
Shape Exploration
Considering simplicity was a key design priority, I started with a cylindrical shape. I also explored the idea of mimicking the form of a bean sprout to enhance the product’s natural aesthetic. Ultimately, I chose the design skeched on the far left, as it combines the clean, minimalistic cylindrical concept with the organic shape and feel of a bean sprout.
Building
I 3D printed the sprout using green filament for the body and clear filament for the cap, designed and laser cut a small wooden box to house the electronics, and helped Minha solder the electronics
