The L robot uses cameras and AI to ID and pick bell peppers.
John Deere’s ExactShot uses sensors to spray precise amounts of fertilizer on individual seeds as they’re planted.
These innovations might sound futuristic but they were unveiled for farmers at the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show.
Even if you’re growing on a much smaller scale, the internet of things continues its march into gardens and back yards.
From indoor greenhouses to a cordless robot pool cleaner, here are a few award-winning innovations for your garden from the show, plus some for your home.
The New Rise Garden is a modular indoor garden that allows you to add up to three vertical levels of plants. While many hydroponic gardens grow greens and herbs, this one includes root vegetables like beets and vining crops like peas. The smart garden sends alerts for watering, feeding and harvesting. You can also control it with your voice through an Alexa device. The single tier garden is $749; the double is $1,049 and the triple tier with room for 108 plants is $1,349.
Or check out the Mine Farm Showcase, an enclosed greenhouse the size of a refrigerator. The growing is greener with less power and water than other growing systems, according to GSF System. The Korean company uses the same technology to fill shipping containers with crops. The showcase gardens can fit one to four shelves of lettuce, herbs and vegetables. No word on a cost or when it will be released.
A new sprinkler is smart enough to cut lawn irrigation use by 30%. You can manage Moen’s Smart Sprinkler Controller from your phone and skip watering based on the weather. With data from the company’s new smart wireless soil sensors, the sprinkler can make even more tweaks. Soil sensors are $69.99 each. The controller is $179.99 for eight zones and $234.99 for 16 zones.
Or give your hose a tech upgrade with Rachio’s Smart Hose Timer. Connect the smart valve to an outdoor faucet and you can create irrigation programs. The device automatically adjusts with the weather so you’re not watering on a rainy day. This saves water and makes sure plants aren’t thirsty when you’re not home. The starter kit is $99 and expected to ship in March.
Add leaf sweeping to the list of chores you can hand to a robot. EcoFlow Blade is a robotic mower that cuts grass as well as sweep and collect leaves. Unlike most robo-mowers, this one can edge a lawn. The company hasn’t finalized a price on this item which will be released this spring.
A new robotic pool cleaner will clean the bottom of your pool as well as scrub the walls and waterline without a cord. Aiper’s Seagull Pro Cordless Robotic Pool Cleaner cleans up to three hours at a time and charges in 90 minutes. While VIPs got one of these for free at the Grammys, everyone else will need to pay $899.99 when it’s released in March.
Home tech
On the home side, here are a few award-winning finds:
Bathtub: Kohler Stillness Bath has lights, fog, scent and an optional overflow infinity experience that flows into a wood-planked moat.
Bed: The ErgoSportive bed improves sleep quality with biometric health sensors while the Dawn House bed monitors health metrics.
Drinks: Bartesian intelligent drink maker is like a K-Cup machine for cocktails.
Mirror: HEY MIRROR combines a mirror and a smart home pad with an optional sterilization light.
Mixer: GE Profile Smart Mixer with Auto Sense uses viscosity sensors to optimize mixing, has a smart scale and voice control.
Oven: Dacor 24-inch Wall Oven bakes and has an air fry feature along with sous vide and a steamer. The Dacor Dual Fuel Range has the same features plus a dual-infrared broiler. LG InstaView Combination Double Wall Oven has the same features plus one of the ovens cooks as fast as a microwave.
Radiator: FOGO 01 is a smart radiator that’s only 5.5 cm thick.
Record: Player Victrola Stream Carbon is a turntable that connects wirelessly with Sonos.
Refrigerator: EcoFlow Glacier is a portable fridge that makes ice in 10 minutes and can be recharged with solar.
Vacuum: DreameBot X10 Ultra Robot Vacuum mops and vacuums, switching without human help.
Washer: Samsung’s Bespoke AI Washer with AI OptiWash adjusts wash time and detergent based on fabric and soil sensors. The companion Bespoke AI Dryer automatically controls dry time and temperature. And the company’s ventless heat pump dryer doesn’t need a vent to work.
This February, there are dozens of talks and classes to learn about plants, virtual and in-person in the Lancaster County region and beyond.
