Growing products

This a small presentation we made to show to potential sponsors such as the sustainablilty trust, te papa, wellington city council and switched on gardener. apparently there is not a lot of money to spend on projects like these because of the recession, so unfortunately no sponsorship.

things i did - matt jer

things i did:


+ initial research at the beginning

+ graphic presentation to show to potential sponsors, however did not get any.

+ went to the metal laser cutting place

+ blogged the progress and development of the project

+ laser cut the pieces for machine and mechanisms

+ machined parts for the base of the machine

+ was around for general helping

what I did

In this project I :

helped to work out details of how the mechanism ‘aperture’ worked.

made prototypes of the mechanism

helped solidworks the machine parts to then laser cut them

Put together the mechanisms for the moving machine

Put together the final machine with help

went out to the metal laser cutting place

did lots material tests for the membrane

helped Matt Jer to write up a few blog posts at the beginning

in meetings I tended to sum up and then delegate

also went on plant/root finding missions

did some initial research

made some of the printed products.

Talked to people

Did a small amount with sponsorship but it came to nothing

Was there to do general stuff

But why?

As unlikely as Produce seems and as far from a viable product as it may be, the project raises some interesting issues and challenges. There is a growing awareness of just how unsustainable and disposable our consumer society has become. Our results were generated in a short time and while constantly experimenting, failing and succeeding. However, with a bit more resource and time I think the results could be surprising. We have discussed how different roots develop different forms for different tasks, how roots will change their architecture in to suit nutrient regimes. It is not unfeasible to imagine having the knowledge to create a system that would provide the perfect growing environment to produce an aesthetically engaging housing for your USB stick, MP3 player or garage door opener. If it were possible to control cell size and therefore durability when dried out it could be possible to make any manner of item that would once have been a piece of plastic, but is now biodegradible, grown under your kitchen herbs on your windowsill. Maybe...

How Do Our Forms Develop?

Roots find there way around obstacles, such as our forms, in much the same way that we navigate in the dark. In an as yet unpublished study a group at Norwich University have identified a self reinforcing cycle that facilitates forward march. The tips of the advance roots contain a hormone RHD2 , this creates free radicals that stimulate the uptake of calcium (Ca). Ca in tuen stimulates the activity of RHD2, therefore increased free radicals, increased Ca and so forth. When the root tip incounters an unpassable obstacle, the Ca uptake is halted, thus breaking the cycle. Growth will then start elsewhere until the obstacle is passed. Ah, nature! By creating a form through our interface, the user is selecting where these obstacles will be and therefore how the root mass will form.

Root progress

Membrane and mechanism working together well.

Here are some interesting photos of some of the roots we are growing. There are a lot of differences in growth speed and shape.