Planetary Optimist
Type
Hardware-Software design and dev
Year
2022
Client
Google X
Scope
Team Project
My Role
Lead Designer & Researcher
Team Context
Cross-functional team of 6: 2 designers, 2 engineers, 1 biologist, 1 project manager
Bringing technology and nature together: a research project exploring urban biodiversity through smart monitoring and public engagement.
Overview
Cities lack data-driven approaches to urban biodiversity management. Municipalities need evidence-based solutions to justify green infrastructure investments and measure environmental impact. Urban residents are disconnected from local ecosystems. They want to understand and contribute to biodiversity but lack accessible tools to engage meaningfully. How can we use technology to examine and enhance urban biodiversity while making complex ecological data accessible and engaging for the public?
Approach
Research-driven design with iterative prototyping. A system combining hardware (planters with sensors) and software (PWA) to monitor pollinators and educate the public. Prioritized public engagement over pure data collection, chose PWA over native app for accessibility, designed hardware to blend into urban environments, and focused on gamification to increase user retention.
Outcome
Tested in Buffalo NY, USA and Poznań, Poland, providing data on habitat optimization, biodiversity speces in urban sites. Public engagement requires different UX patterns than scientific tools. Hardware constraints significantly impact design decisions. Community partnerships are crucial for urban research projects.
SOFTWARE: A platform for tracking and learning about urban pollinators. Designed to engage and educate the public, the platform offered real-time insights into pollinator activity and their habitats. To make exploration interactive, we introduced a citywide cycling route, connecting our sensor-packed planters in well-placed urban locations. Users could track biodiversity, join a gamified experience, and discover the crucial role of pollinators—all while biking through the city.
HARDWARE: Smart planters designed for both insects and people. Equipped with hidden sensors, these planters collected real-time biodiversity data while doubling as interactive public installations. Their structure was designed to visualize data, resembling dynamic infographics that revealed insights when scanned via a QR code. By blending form and function, the planters not only supported pollinators but also transformed urban spaces into living data stories.
Iterative design process: refining habitats, form following the purpose of the project.
Smart planter system diagram showing sensor placement and data flow