Gallery: Autonomous Sunlight-Hunting D...

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Potted plants are a great way to bring the healing qualities of nature indoors while also generating clean air. Keeping them alive and healthy once they’re inside is another story. Belgium-based sculptor Stephen Verstraete built an adorable rolling robot that taxis your shrubbery to all the sunny spots in your home–without being asked! Dubbed the Plant Host Drone, this glorified Roomba follows the sun across the sky, ensuring that your plants soak up all the sun they need to stay green and healthy.

Despite its deadly sounding name, the Plant Host Drone is in the business of keeping plants alive. The secret to its intelligence lies in the phototransistor: “When you put the Robot in direct sunlight it will not run and he will just sit there and enjoy the sun, but when the day goes by and the sun moves he will follow the sunlight every time the shadow tries to take the upper hand,” writes Verstraete. 

“When you start her up in the shade she will scout for light and therefore are the collision switches a helpful thing, so she wont get stuck somewhere.” Want one of your own? Verstraete isn’t trying to get rich off of the Plant Host Drone. In fact, you can use this handy Instructables guide to DIY one for around $10! If only it could water the plants too…

+ Stephen Verstraete

Via Gadgetose