By 2050, the current food infrastructure will not be able to support the exponentially increasing population. Nevertheless, younger generations are not properly educated on how to sustainably grow produce for themselves. Especially for children, plants lack the basics of usability such as feedforward and feedback. For the purpose of improving plant usability and pleasure provided in the interaction with plants, we imagined a plant that would emotionally communicate with children when it is thirsty, cold or in need of more sunlight.

Seedly is a wearable necklace for children that helps educate them on how to grow food for themselves. Seedly includes light, water, and temperature sensors, as well as a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) module that communicates with the device and tells the child what it needs through the mobile app. The app allows the child to name the seed they are growing and create a personal relationship with it. As it grows, the device communicates when the plant needs water and sunlight, making it fun and engaging for the kid to care for the plant throughout the day. The planted seed is displayed on a map for the child to tend to, as well as discover other children’s plants nearby.

Plants grown from Seedly will never stop living from lack of love or attention, and children will grow up as individuals who care for and appreciate nature.

Seedly is a product that changes the way kids can interact with plants. It utilizes simple technology like Bluetooth Low Energy, to talk to the child, which easily personifies the plant, allowing a relationship to form. Through these interactions, the child learns a sense of responsibility through responding to feedback. The experience that children get through using Seedly will impact their knowledge of taking care of plants and show how simple it is to grow them.