(part of the PARN project, Lionel)

The tips of the plant roots are highly sensitive areas, capable of detecting and interpreting a large range a environmental parameters such as water availability, gravity, nutrients concentration and mechanical forces. Those parameters determine the direction of the root's growth.

Here, we decided to investigate the ability of a root to 'search for its way'. We designed a simple pattern of tiny channels (~ 1 mm² of section) to let a plant's root grow inside. At every branching, the root tip will have to make a choice, guided by its cellular sensory mechanims.

The idea is to carve 1mm deep grooves in a transparent layer. By adding another layer on it, the grooves becomes channels.

A first, simple pattern for the channels (.xls drawing)

The pattern was grooved in a plexiglas plate by lasercut

Glass pipes connect the circuit with water stocks

A seed in inserted on the 'input' side of the circuit

First scan of the – empty – circuit

related: PARN Project: Human-plant communication - research diary