Plants are the new pets, and it is all thanks to the Plant parents!
What are Plant parents, you may ask. The term coined by the millennial generation corresponds with the strong comeback of houseplants obsession.
A survey in 2020 confirmed that 70% of millennials call themself Plant parents, meaning they own at least one plant and consider it their baby.
We all know that plants improve the overall aesthetics of their apartments. Plant owners say that they also influence their mental health, physical well-being, and productivity.
But, there are challenges. As much as 67% of the survey participants say they are Plant murderers too! The survey also states that 40% of millennials plan to buy a houseplant, but 48% are nervous about their ability to keep plants alive!
House plant owners state that their worries are mostly:
- 50% Does the plant have enough light,
- 46% How much water is needed exactly,
- 43% What is the difference in plant care if the plant is in or outside,
- 21% Will they be able to find a plant sitter when they are away.
As any parent may need a babysitter, plant parents now have a plant sitter.
Dodola, AI plant-sitter for full-time care of any house plant
Dodola is a Slavic goddess of rain and the wife of the supreme deity Perun (god of thunder). Slavs believed that when Dodola milks her heavenly cows, the clouds, it rains on Earth.
A Dodola device, similar to the deity it got its name from, is helping plants grow and stay healthy.
It is equipped with sensors, communicates with the mobile app, and works as a full-time plant helper.
The primary sensor of Dodola is her eyes
Dodola has a high-resolution camera that can see the plant all the time. It recognizes which plant the user has. In cooperation with other sensors and data, Dodola makes sure the plant gets the correct amount of water throughout its life.
To water the plant correctly, the device also uses a soil moisture sensor, air humidity sensor, and temperature sensor. It also implements the data available within its database regarding the geolocation of the plant, and current weather conditions.
Even when the net is down, Dodola will remember what it has learned and continue to water the plant and keep it safe!
The other important role of the camera is to check the plant for any illness. Once detected, Dodola will check for the best possible treatment and inform the user how to treat the plant.
Dodola uses the mobile app to communicate with the users
With the Dodola mobile app, you can stay connected to your plants from anywhere. Receive real-time updates, track growth progress, and get expert tips tailored to your plant’s needs. The app sends notifications and alerts, ensuring you never miss a crucial plant care task.
The app lets the user manage the plant as well. Let’s say the plant is still too young to be recognized. Manual input will let the device know what to do. Users can also set their own watering plans if they wish so.
It provides all the data collected through the sensors, informs the user on the water level in the tank, and even lets the user take photos of the plant and post them to their favorite social network.
Don’t be surprised if, when on vacation, Dodola sends you a selfie only to say: “Hello, everything is Ok, enjoy your stay”, and then you can share it with your friends.
Not just zero, but a negative carbon footprint is possible with Dodola
Dodola is equipped with a battery made out of recycled materials. It powers the pumps, sensors, and connection to the internet. It recharges through the integrated solar panels and works for more than a week without recharging, depending on the watering period, data, and image transmission.
The plastic used to make Dodola is also recycled! By doing this, it’s estimated that, per only 1,000 devices, Dodola recycles at least 200 kilograms (440 pounds) of plastic waste. At the same time, properly watering the plants, and using solar panels and recycled batteries, saves at least 40,000 liters (more than 10,000 gallons) of water and 200,000 kWh of electricity per annum.
And not to stay just on zero carbon footprint, the plant also reduces it and produces Oxygen! Per the same number of devices, on average, 43,800 liters (11,500 gallons) of O2 is generated annually. House plants also absorb at least 25-30% of carbon dioxide released by humans.
And as an additional bonus, based on a NASA report, plants can remove up to 95 percent of the toxic substance from indoor air in just 24 hours.
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Mr. Nebojsa Sataric, and Mr. Milomir Zekanovic, engineers and part of the founders’ team, gave their statement on Dodola.
“Our commitment to plant care is reflected in our responsibility to protect the planet. For each part of the device, we are determined to choose materials and resources in such a way that it results in reducing or eliminating carbon footprint. We are proud to say that, by our calculations, not only will it be zero, we will help produce new Oxygen.
At this point, we are happy with where we are, both hardware and software-wise, and we are planning a Kickstarter campaign soon. Stay tuned!”
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Dodola is a startup, now in prototype phase, but plans to hit Kickstarter sometime later this year. More on Dodola on their web site https://mydodola.com.
