As the 21st century moves forward, many traditional ways of getting things done have been supplanted by the recent surge in on-demand solutions. Uber and Lyft are challenging the taxi industry, Apple Music and Spotify are disrupting the music industry, and now, SproutsIO has its sights set on revolutionizing the gardening industry.
Recently launched via the popular crowdfunding site Kickstarter, SproutsIO reimagines the at-home garden by ditching soil while still offering owners the ability to grow fresh fruits and vegetables year-round. Even better, those without a particularly green thumb won’t find it difficult to produce fresh greens as SproutsIO is built for anyone to use.
Originally developed by Jennifer Broutin Farah at MIT’s Media Lab back in 2011, the team behind SproutsIO (including Farah, who is the company’s founder and CEO) decided to refine the initial concept prior to seeking crowdfunding support. Operating with a focus on connecting people with the food they consume, and connecting them to the place where it’s produced, the brand wanted to find a way to allow people to enjoy growing their own fruits and vegetables and to make it easy. After years of research, the company developed an intelligent hybrid hydroculture gardening system that literally just needs to be plugged in to start working.
“We’ve been growing food for thousands of years, it’s part of what makes us human,” said Farah. “When cities were built, we became more industrialized. When we put growing in the hands of others, we lose transparency. We no longer know where our food is coming from. SproutsIO is a smart microgarden that makes it effortless to grow indoors, year-round, and soil-free.”
So what can you grow? According to the Kickstarter campaign, SproutsIO lets anyone grow basil, Lacinato kale, parsley and cilantro, arugula, Tiny Tim tomatoes, and much more. In just three weeks, the device allows users to grow roughly 18 servings of leafy greens wherever the machine is set up. Furthermore, maintenance of the produce requires watering just once a month and is ready to eat as soon as it is harvested — no rinsing necessary.
As of this writing, early bird versions of the SproutIO are available to early adopters at a special price of just $559, while it figures to retail for around $799 once the campaign concludes. With 28 crowdfunding days remaining, the innovative device had already raised $23,282 of its $100,000 goal.
Outdoor security cameras are not always practical if you live in an apartment or rental. Drilling into an exterior wall may be off-limits, while pointing a regular indoor camera through a window can create another problem once reflections start showing up after dark.
Baseus is trying to solve both issues with the new PrimeSentinel W1, a $69.99 security camera designed specifically to monitor the outdoors through glass. It mounts directly to a window without drilling and uses a 4K Starlight sensor with an F1.0 aperture for full-color monitoring during the day and at night.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
Technology evolves every day, transforming how we live and work. Our devices are becoming more than tools we use. They are increasingly capable companions that help streamline day-to-day routines and spark creative ideas. If you have been waiting for the right moment to upgrade your tech setup, the Discover Samsung Shopping Event offers an opportunity to explore what connected, AI-powered living can look like.
With AI progressing so fast, it's only a matter of time before we start getting AI companions like the ones we used to see in movies like R2-D2, Wall-E, or Baymax. Now, Singapore-based OKA Technology has unveiled Mori, a cute little AI companion that looks less like a conventional home robot and more like someone turned the Pokémon Foongus into a table lamp.
Mori isn't meant to clean your house or control your smart home, but to serve as what OKA calls a "Nature Companion." It uses subtle movements, warm lighting, nature-inspired sounds, and small reactions to make its presence around the house feel calming rather than distracting. Mori can sit quietly while you read, sway along to music, welcome you when you enter a room, or encourage you to slow down for a moment without requiring a screen or a conversation.