World’s First Smart Microhabitat Grows Just About Anything

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Growing plants indoors can sometimes be a challenge for amateur gardeners, but with the Biopod, the world’s first smart microhabitat, you can grow your own herbs, vegetables—and even a rainforest—in your own home.

Biopod’s app-controlled terrarium allows you to monitor everything from lighting to watering with your smartphone. Photo credit: Biopod

What makes this tank so great for growing plants indoors? Basically, the environment inside the BioPod can be customized to meet the ideal conditions for whatever you happen to be growing.

The tank comes with an app for both IOS and Android phones that allows you to regulate temperature, lighting, humidity, ventilation and even artificial rainfall via Wi-Fi.

This low-maintenance tank is also ideal for those of you who have pet fish or reptiles. While it does not help feed your pets, the BioPod does have a built-in high definition camera so you can check on whatever is happening inside while you are away from home.

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The tank is the brainchild of Canadian biologist and BioPod founder Jared Wolfe. Wolfe’s original intention with the BioPod was to duplicate rainforest habitats in order to help save endangered frogs.

There are currently three versions of the tank in development. The Biopod One is ideal for herb or vegetable gardens or small animals. The larger Biopod Terra does the same thing but holds more or larger plants and pets.

Finally, the largest tank, the Biopod Aqua, works like a complete ecosystem that can hold plants and fish. The Aqua can also handle aquaponics, which is a hybrid farming method that combines fish (and their waste) and plants (which filter fish waste) to grow food for you to eat.

“Unlike current vivariums and aquariums, Biopod’s technology allows for a natural free flowing system that replicates how a real environment operates,” the company boasts on its website. “This system allows plants and animals to thrive while keeping the maintenance of a Biopod low.”

The built-in bells and whistles on the Biopod can replicate the climate of a tropical rainforest. Photo credit: Biopod

The company is in the final stages of development and has 17 days to go on an already successful crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter, raising $170,104 (much more than its original $22,783 goal).

The makers of the Biopod also want the tank to be an educational tool for students to learn about nature and ecosystems.

“Teachers and students can see different aspects of their environment including soil conditions, gas levels and moisture—all in real time,” the company says.

If all goes as planned, Kickstarter backers should get their tanks by December. Check out BioPod’s Kickstarter video below to learn more about the product.

[vimeo https://vimeo.com/140606926

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