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Heliosphere

Project details

Programme
Cluster RC2

Heliosphere is a deployable soft-robotic enclosure that creates plant specific microclimates within conventional glasshouses. Conceived as an AI-enabled gardener, it translates local environmental data and plant needs into spatial and climatic responses. Using Kew’s Temperate House as a case study, the project addresses the limits of building wide climate control, which cannot meet every species’ requirements. It proposes a local, reversible intervention with minimal impact on the historic structure. The system develops from RC2 Soft Robotic Architecture’s research into lightweight, adaptive and pneumatic structures. Bending-active fibreglass rods, heat-sealed TPU chambers and a transparent PET membrane form a pressure-responsive enclosure. Changes in air pressure alter its height, curvature, openings and volume, regulating temperature, humidity and airflow around an individual plant instead of conditioning the entire glasshouse.

Introduction

Introduction

Heliosphere creates an adjustable microclimate around an individual plant, concentrating environmental control only where it is needed.

Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of floods, droughts, heatwaves and extreme storms. These events disrupt temperature, humidity, water availability and other conditions.

Research Background

Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of floods, droughts, heatwaves and extreme storms. These events disrupt temperature, humidity, water availability and other conditions.

Future systems must therefore become lighter, modular and responsive, using sensors, automation and adaptable envelopes to provide climate only where and when it is required.

The Need for Greenhouses

Future systems must therefore become lighter, modular and responsive, using sensors, automation and adaptable envelopes to provide climate only where and when it is required.

Design & Fabrication

Design & Fabrication

Heliosphere is a lightweight, deployable enclosure designed to create an adjustable microclimate around individual plants.The components form a coherent hybrid structure which can create a controllable plant-scale environment.

These components form a coherent hybrid structure in which frame elasticity, membrane tension and pneumatic actuation work together to produce a responsive, modular and independently controllable plant-scale environment.

Material System Research

These components form a coherent hybrid structure in which frame elasticity, membrane tension and pneumatic actuation work together to produce a responsive, modular and independently controllable plant-scale environment.

Pressure sensors and manifolds improve airflow control, while the transparent base makes the system easier to inspect, maintain and integrate with environmental sensors.

Toward Scalable Closed-Loop Control

Pressure sensors and manifolds improve airflow control, while the transparent base makes the system easier to inspect, maintain and integrate with environmental sensors.

Pressure-Geometry-Volume Experiment

Pressure-Geometry-Volume Experiment

The enclosure is installed beneath the BodyLab camera array and fitted with forty passive markers.

The enclosure is installed beneath the BodyLab camera array and fitted with forty passive markers. Multiple sensors are positioned around the prototype so actuation, shape change and surface temperature can be recorded together.

Experiment Result

The enclosure is installed beneath the BodyLab camera array and fitted with forty passive markers. Multiple sensors are positioned around the prototype so actuation, shape change and surface temperature can be recorded together.

Control Systems

Control Systems

Real-time environmental data are processed by the control engine and translated into robotic commands, allowing the pneumatic enclosure to respond to plant-specific requirements.

Real-time environmental data are processed by the control engine and translated into robotic commands, allowing the pneumatic enclosure to respond to plant-specific requirements.

Closed-Loop Environmental Control

Real-time environmental data are processed by the control engine and translated into robotic commands, allowing the pneumatic enclosure to respond to plant-specific requirements.

Applications

Applications

Heliosphere can be placed in various traditional greenhouse environments. It helps new plants adapt quickly to their surroundings.

Application Scenarios

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