Students win funding for automated greenhouse
A group of Taranaki students who have created their own mini automated greenhouse have been given funding to produce their idea on a bigger scale.
Inglewood High School’s Robogrow project is one of seven given funding as part of the Curious Minds community science programme, which is led by Venture Taranaki and funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
Geography teacher Gareth Haddon worked with about 22 year 10 students on three small automated greenhouses and then applied for funding after wanting to build a bigger scale model.
‘‘The idea is . . . we’re going to do it again and try to scale it up,’’ he said.
The electronic system can sense when the plants inside the greenhouse need air, water, light and heat; the machine, which sits on top, acts accordingly by watering the plants, turning light bulbs on the machine and even opening up an air vent.
The students programmed the system over the last term, but will spend the first two terms of this year researching how to make it bigger and whether it is sustainable for future generations to use.
‘‘We want to research if it’s feasible for the average person at home to grow lettuce and that sort of thing,’’ Haddon said.
It costs $2000 for the greenhouse kits from Sminks Lab in Auckland.
Robo grow is a cross-curricular project that falls loosely between the social sciences and agriculture and horticulture, and incorporates biology and technology.
It was also teaching students about sustainable farming practices and food security, Haddon said. ‘‘It’s an awesome learning opportunity for them.’’
Curious Minds has been running since 2015, and has supported 57 projects in the region with $970,000 in funding so far.
Venture Taranaki chief executive Justine Gilliland said it was great to see some food- and fibre-related ideas, as well as some that were looking at environmental monitoring and restoration, in the latest round of funding.