Hydroponics on your smart phone

A company called Niwa has launched a Kickstarter campaign to support a smartphone-controlled, living-room based, hyrdoponic growing system.

Niwa's system would give individuals the chance to grow produce in their own living room, with control based at their fingertips. Niwa set a fundraising goal of $100,000. As of this writing, Niwas has 32 days to reach its goal and has already received more than half of its needed donations (roughly $58,000 has been donated).

The Niwa system alleges to have all the "brainpower" of a seasoned farmer. If the plants being grown with the system need water, Niwa will water them. If the temperature is too high (or too low) the system knows and adjusts. It will also have control over humidity settings. The Kickstarter video promoting the campaign says that there are also manual override features that allow more experienced growers to override Niwa and input their own growing standards for light, heat, humidity, etc. Many of Niwa's controls, if not all, are accessible via a downloadable smartphone app.

The Niwa system is based loosely on hydroponic principles, though you won't see any rafts. The device itself looks to be about the size of a large television or small refrigerator. It is an all-glass container system that allows for open door access to users.

According to a graph on the Niwa Kickstarter page, the product will be shipped in January 2015.

For more information, or to visit the Niwa Kickstarter, click here.