U of I grad students invent product to keep plants alive
Updated: January 8, 2013
CHAMPAIGN -- A group of University of Illinois students are rolling out a new product to help you take care of your plants. Eduardo Torrealba said he got the idea when he and his wive couldn't keep their basil plant alive.
Torrealba also couldn't find a product that could tell him when his plants needed water. So he and a group of friends made one themselves. It's called Plant Link. You put the sensors in the soil near your plants. They send information to a website that shows you how much moisture is in the ground.
"The first version of the product is really aimed at the home gardener," said Torrealba. "Somebody who has some plants outside maybe a few potted plants on the inside. You can use the sensors in your lawn too if you want to."
The sensors collect that information and update it in real time. You can get that data uploaded to your phone or computer, sent in a text message, email or a push notification. They started a Kickstarter campaign to raise money this weekend. They're already almost halfway to their goal of $75,000. The money people contribute basically acts as a pre-order. It goes toward getting your own Plant Link product.
To find out more about the Kickstarter campaign, click on this link.
To find out more about Oso Technologies, which it the business the students started, you can click on this link.
Torrealba also couldn't find a product that could tell him when his plants needed water. So he and a group of friends made one themselves. It's called Plant Link. You put the sensors in the soil near your plants. They send information to a website that shows you how much moisture is in the ground.
"The first version of the product is really aimed at the home gardener," said Torrealba. "Somebody who has some plants outside maybe a few potted plants on the inside. You can use the sensors in your lawn too if you want to."
The sensors collect that information and update it in real time. You can get that data uploaded to your phone or computer, sent in a text message, email or a push notification. They started a Kickstarter campaign to raise money this weekend. They're already almost halfway to their goal of $75,000. The money people contribute basically acts as a pre-order. It goes toward getting your own Plant Link product.
To find out more about the Kickstarter campaign, click on this link.
To find out more about Oso Technologies, which it the business the students started, you can click on this link.
