Dr. Weeks’ Comment: Charles H. Duell was the Commissioner of US patent office in 1899. Mr. Deull’s most famous attributed utterance is that “everything that can be invented has been invented.” So when we find great ideas like this food wheel, I smile!
Revolutionary Green Wheel hydroponic garden grows food faster with NASA technology
While the function remains the same, the rotary garden has undergone a massive evolutionary change from an aesthetic point of view. Milan-based DesignLibero combined their experience of interior design, architecture, product and graphic design to create a unique hydroponic garden that allows home owners to produce a variety of agricultural products in their own home.
The Green Wheel’s large growing area helps to cultivate a greater number of plants, as does the project’s illumination design. All plants are arranged around the light source that lies at the center of the wheel, helping to reduce lighting consumption. Meanwhile, the wheel’s gravity effect supposedly helps optimize herb and vegetable production. The outer case hides an engine that rotates the plants, and the rotary garden also includes a water reservoir and pump for automatic plant irrigation. Inside the perforated inner wheel are vases made from coco fiber that provide support for plants and their roots.
The wheel is also simple to use with an intuitive control interface that can be managed through a smartphone or tablet. The variable controls allow the user to set the amount of illumination and light temperature and to be advised of water levels, allowing the growth of virtually any vegetation. DesignLibero head Libero Rutilo isn’t shy about his company’s creation, describing it as “an iconic garden object for residential use, like a TV.” Nor should he be.