These Arduino bots move plants to sunny and shady spots
August 12th, 2016
— What do you do when you want your plants to grow but you lack a green thumb? Give them wheels and the ability to seek out sunny and shady spots on their own. This was media artist Kathleen McDermott has done.
The aptly named Sunbot and Shadebot are robots that help houseplants tour the outside world. Sunbot uses photocell (light) sensors to look for sunny places to rest, while Shadebot employs the same sensors to locate shadowy spots.
Both platforms are made out of a recycled fan case and wood, along with an Arduino, DC motors, rechargeable batteries and solar panels.
See them in action below!