Spotlight: Grove OS

The Grove Ecosystem. An aquaponic gardening device that not only brings the elegant simplicity of nature, and the power to grow your own vibrant, nutritious produce into where you live, work, and play, but also keeps you deeply connected to the entire experience, through the Grove OS app.

Origin stories…

Grove OS, (Grove Operating System) originally called “The Cortex” was born out of a desire to help farmers become more efficient, profitable, and sustainable in their approach to food production. By placing WiFi connected sensors throughout a farm, The Cortex automated many of the time consuming duties associated with urban agriculture, all while collecting valuable data which would be used to optimize the farmers grow cycles, shorten time to harvest, and connect users to a vibrant community of like minded growers.

But here at Grove we quickly realized that this type of optimization, connectivity, and control wasn’t just for commercial farmers, it was for everyone. And thus, Grove OS was born.

Day 1: Grove OS out of the box.

Your Grove OS experience starts the moment the Ecosystem arrives.

Once the Grove OS app is installed (available from the Apple Store or Android marketplace) you’ll be prompted to enter your info, create a password, and sync the Ecosystem to WiFi. A successful sync powers up the Ecosystem, activating lights, fans, and pumps, while the app guides you, step by step, through the rest of the setup process.

From here, Grove OS opens up a world of possibilities.

Endless ways to connect.

We want users to have an engaging, rewarding, and ultimately delicious experience with their Ecosystems. With that in mind we’ve woven together a set of features specifically designed to inform, engage, and empower users to get growing with incredible results.

Grove OS features include:

• Step by step guides to plant-specific seed sowing, care & harvesting practices.
• Measure your water chemistry, get guidance based on results, and make adjustments to fully optimize your garden.
• Observe and learn about your aquatic life. Grove OS will make marketplace recommendations based on your unique user habits to ensure your aquarium community thrives.
• A dynamic array of sensors stream data straight to your smart device, allowing you to not only monitor, but also remotely control your water level, water temperature, air temperature, and humidity.
• Smart notifications alert you when to add water, adjust pH, harvest a plant for maximum flavor and nutritional value, and so much more.
• Access to The Almanac, a virtual field guide that provides custom, bite-sized lesson plans that make aquaponics easy and digestible.
• Control lights, pumps, and fans right on your smart device from the comfort of your living room, or a tropical beach 4,000 miles away.
• Plants looking limp? Snap a picture of whatever you’re growing and Grove’s VegiEye machine vision technology will process and forward the image to our team, who will diagnose, inform, and recommend what steps you can take to get back on track.

Even with all this control, Grove knows that life gets busy, which is why Grove OS comes loaded with default settings to give you the flexibility to have as much, or little, control as you desire.

Doing our Research: The Early Adopter Program

We believe that knowledge without experience is only half the equation, which is why the design, usability, and functionality of Grove OS has been directly informed by a year of data collection from 50 Early Adopters. In-home interviews, ongoing case studies, and monthly user surveys, all carefully studied and tested ensure Grove OS works in the real world.

Knowledge is Power: The Almanac

The Ecosystem, like Nature, is an interconnected system that contains a staggering variety of life. As a new user this may at first seem overwhelming, but Grove OS, and the Almanac are there to guide you.

Grove’s Almanac walks you through choosing, and connecting with the vegetables, herbs, fruits, and aquatic life that will call your Ecosystem home. Think of the Almanac as a virtual field guide, beckoning you deeper into the experience at every turn.

Getting Connected: A Community Experience

Biodiversity in the natural world ensures resilient, regenerative communities, which is why Grove OS comes loaded with a cornucopia of social features. Connect with other Ecosystem users, empower each other to solve problems together, and give the world a window into your unique Ecosystem.

Growing with you: Updates, updates, updates.

As time goes by Grove OS learns and grows with you, tracking your usage, making marketplace recommendations, and optimizing your settings to ensure the most enjoyable experience possible. Just like your Ecosystem, Grove OS never stops evolving.

Users can expect monthly updates, customizable features, and unique surprises to unlock over time.

Today, tomorrow, and far into the future, Grove OS will be there to guide, inspire, and connect you to the growing world of the Ecosystem.

Originally published at blog.grovelabs.io.