UCL unleashes an autonomous, roving 'garden sphere' for London

2016-10-05T13:25:00-04:00

Therefore, our general theme and approach in this set of projects is that plants should become part of our society as well as self-reliant, and be given the ability to autonomously interact and walk with us. [...] The prototype is seen as a larger scale architectural improvement. With the reduction of gardens as years pass on, the design represents a depleted Earth as it is regenerating and given new life.

Watch the making of the "garden sphere", Hortum Machina, B below:

First unveiled in April of this year, the Hortum Machina, B project is designed by architects William Victor Camilleri and Danilo Sampaio at the UCL's Bartlett. Covered in GCR, the "autonomy" is derived from the plants inside the sphere: "although flora lack nervous systems 'they can, much like animals, become electro-chemically stimulated by (their) environment'.

The designers have wired these botanical reflexes into the control-loop of the sphere’s 'autonomous robotic ecosystem', thereby allowing for autonomous travel. In fact, the plants are able to move the exoskeleton 'collectively and democratically'."

Related on Archinect:

Archinect - News

UCL unleashes an autonomous, roving 'garden sphere' for London