Fytó is a project by CodersCafeTech which incorporates Raspberry Pi Zero and sensors to turn your basic houseplant into a pet.
Fytó is a Greek word which translates into English as all sorts of things, from “plant” and “vegetable” to “wort” and “nerd”. So, take your pick.
How does it work?
Fytó can show six different emotions based on its interpretation of three sensors measuring soil moisture, temperature, and light levels.
If the soil moisture sensor reading is too low, Fytó’s LCD display screen will show an emoji expressing thirst. And when you give it some water, it’ll show you it was just what it wanted. When the light level is too low, Fytó will tell you it’s sleepy. The “freezing” and “hot” emojis are triggered by the temperature sensor and are pretty self-explanatory. And when all three sensor readings are within the ideal range, your pet will reward you by displaying a happy emoji on the screen.
Hardware needed to turn a houseplant into a pet
The custom plant pot was designed in Autodesk Fusion 360 and 3D-printed.
CodersCafeTech fun for everyone
CodersCafeTech make tons of cool things, so make sure to check them out on Instructables. We especially like the Loopie lamp featured in HackSpace magazine a few months ago. You can also find them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Teach your houseplant to text you
Before you go, remember the time we blogged about Sandeep Mistry teaching his houseplant to send texts? The project was made really quick and easy by commandeering Pimoroni’s Grow HAT. You can buy kits from them with everything you need to make smart chilli plants or herbs. No excuse to not give it a try!
