Grow herbs in your kitchen with hydroponics farm

(8 Jan 2020) LEAD IN: Many people dream of growing their own herbs and salad leaves, but poor soils, changing seasons or a lack of space can make this impossible. At CES in Las Vegas, one US startup thinks it's hit on the solution, unveiling a Wi-fi connected hydroponics farm that would fit into your kitchen. STORY-LINE: This mini bar-sized device houses a hydroponics farm, and its creators say it could revolutionise how we think about and consume herbs and lettuces. The "GroPod" was created by two Indiana-based scientists who formally worked for NASA. Their device simply connects to a power source, wifi and water, and is ready to grow. "So we fully automate the entire growing process using a proprietary form of hydroponics called "rotary aeroponics". The GroPod is actually able to yield a full serving of greens on a daily basis," explains inventor Scott Massey. Users will be able to purchase the GroPod with small pods that contain the nutrients and seeds needed to grow lettuces and herbs. Massey say one GroPod can sustain up to 60 plants, and the inner tubes to which the pods are attached spin so the plants at the front are always those ripest for harvest. "We fell in love with the technology because it democratises agriculture," Massey says. "It doesn't matter what your climate is. It doesn't matter what the environment is like outside, or the soil quality in your region, we can actually allow you to have a portable agricultural farm in the consumer's home." So far, the "GroPod" is at the prototype stage, with a price currently sitting around $2,000. The company hopes prices will fall once it goes into mass production, which it plans to do later this year. It also plans to run a subscription programme, sending subscribers new pods for a small monthly fee. "You turn on the actual device by connecting it to a standard outlet inside your home. You tune it in to the Wifi, so that the smart connectivity can actually communicate with you though any smart home device, or your smart phone itself. And then you plumb it in as well, so it connects to a water line. And then you're able to grow out your favourite pure produce, it's simple as that," Massey says. CES, formerly known as the Consumer Electronics Show, started Sunday 5 January in Las Vegas, with two days of media previews. The show floor is open from Tuesday until Friday. More than 170,000 people are expected to attend the annual show which is held across a sprawling set of hotels and convention centres. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives Google+: https://plus.google.com/b/102011028589719587178/+APArchive​ Tumblr: https://aparchives.tumblr.com/​​ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/508de405b16d49cea8f0c56baff83b18