The Idea
A Roomba-style robot with a planter mounted on top. The robot's job is to find patches of sunlight to charge by solar. As a side effect. Or as the actual point, depending on which side of the system you're on. The plant riding on top gets moved into the same patches of sun, where it photosynthesizes happily. The robot self-waters the plant from an onboard reservoir, triggered by a moisture sensor. In the evening, it returns to its assigned resting spot.
The Behavior
During the day:
- Solar panels drive the robot's behavior. Low charge means seek light.
- Over time, the robot maps the room and learns where the sun lands and when.
- Wherever the robot parks to charge, the plant gets sun.
- A moisture sensor watches the soil. When dry, the robot delivers water from an onboard reservoir.
In the evening:
- The robot returns to its docking spot. Base station, charging pad, designated corner.
- The plant rests where the human wants it to.
The Symbiosis
The plant gets optimized light exposure throughout the day (including in rooms where light shifts), reliable watering with no human required, and mobility. Escape from dark corners, transitions between rooms.
The robot gets a purpose (the plant gives its light-seeking behavior a justification), a passenger (the plant is the visible user the robot exists for), and a relationship (the system isn't a robot or a plant. It's the pair).
Why It's Both Parasitic and Symbiotic
The robot uses the plant as the reason for its existence. The plant uses the robot for movement. Each is exploiting the other a little. Each is helping the other a lot. The line between parasitism and symbiosis is, as in biology, a matter of accounting. And a matter of which organism is asking the question.
Pairs With
The Plant Watering Insult Machine. Same family. Plants getting agency through technology. But different stances. The Insult Machine gives a plant a voice so it can demand care from a human. The Symbiotic Plant Robot gives a plant a body so it can take care of itself. Two different solutions to the same problem.
Status
Concept.