In a recent exhibition in London called “Slow Tech”, designer Samuel Wilkinson showed off his Biome Smart Terrarium, which isn’t all that technical until it was revealed that it was actually controlled by an iPad (could be replaced with a smartphone). This is just the start of a future where our homes and lives can be fully controlled (and even automated) by our smartphones and tablets.
For those unfamiliar, a terrarium is a miniature landscape that contains plants, and sometimes even animals. Now certain plants or animals require a certain climate in order to survive, and the terrarium is meant to mimic the native environment of said plants or animals, and thanks to the iPad, the climate can be controlled just by a touch on the screen. This would allow even the least green-thumb of us to own a terrarium that thrives.
On to the more philosophical side of things, the reason behind this design was because Samuel Wilkinson was looking for a way for us to use our smartphones and tablets. In a world where we are constantly connected, he felt that his Biome Smart Terrarium was a way to merge technology and nature together, while keeping us off our devices and appreciating a slower lifestyle.