The Foop lets you grow a garden in your kitchen
A company from Japan has developed a stylish toaster-sized box in which you can grow plants, vegetables and herbs without the need of a garden -- or even a back yard.
If you've got a green thumb but no space to work your garden magic, a Japanese company might just have the thing to help quell your plant cultivation cravings.
Named the "Foop" (short for food and people) and developed by a company called C'estec, the smart device, roughly the size of a dual shelf toaster, lets you grow small crops of vegetables in your kitchen.
The product has come about to help those in Tokyo who want to grow plants and vegetables but, like may people living in large metropolitan cities, don't have sufficient garden space to do so.
The Foop houses a set of moisture-rich sponge pods, in which you'll plant your seeds. After that, you pair the device with your smartphone to monitor the growing conditions. You'll get a prediction of how long the plant will take to fully grow, as well as the ability to alter lighting, heat and humidity to ensure you get healthy and vibrant vegetables.
Housed in the container, there are dedicated LED lights, environmental regulation fans, CO2 sensors and a small hand pump to provide air to the water for ideal plant growth.
The exterior has a green icon that can display 20 different statuses as the plants grow, while the stylishly carved sides give the Foop a level of minimalist class that fits perfectly with any kitchen environment.
The Foop is expected to go on sale this coming September with a limited special price of ¥38,800 ($360, AU$470, £245) for the first 100 units sold. Each unit measures in at 498mm by 326mm by 320mm and weighs roughly 8 kg (16 pounds).