Printable Hydroponics: Digital Fabrication of Ecological Systems

We demonstrate a technique to 3D print hydroponic systems which support the growth of various plant species. Our technique fabricates a landscape made entirely out of plastic, and automatically attaches plants seeds to predesignated positions on its surface; the end result is that by subjecting the printed, seed-attached landscape to water, light, and nutrient solutions, eventually plants will grow, creating a lush hydroponic "garden". Though currently only tested at modest scales the technique is theoretically scalable, possibly to architectural and environmental scales. We expect the technique to provide a foundation on which a new field of 3D printing research/practice can be built-i.e., printable ecological systems.