Koishi
An interactive planter pot
Working prototype
Role: Designer
Team: 2 people (collaboration with engineer)
Timeframe: Jan 2012 to Aug 2012
Stage: Working prototype, exhibited internationally
TL;DR
Koishi was an interactive planter that turned plant signals into light and sound. We built it as an exploration of nature, technology, and interaction. It evolved into a working prototype that exhibited at Salone Satellite, Maison & Objet, and Chelsea Flower Show, earning strong press and audience engagement.
Background
Plants are alive, but we rarely perceive it. Koishi was an attempt to make those signals visible and audible. The concept: a planter that translates electrical variations in a plant’s biofeedback into simple sensory output.
Understanding the constraints
Plants don’t “talk” in human terms. With an engineer, we managed to measure electrical activity, filter noise, and map those signals into light and sound. The design challenge was turning raw, messy data into a meaningful, legible experience.
Design Process
Exploration
Studied how biofeedback could be captured without harming the plant.
Experimented with sensor placement, sampling rates, and filtering.
Form and function
Designed a simple, stone-like housing (Koishi means “pebble” in Japanese).
Balanced aesthetics with housing for sensors and speakers.
Prototypes
Early breadboard setups to test signal quality.
Iterated on how light and sound should respond: ambient, not jarring.
Explored how subtle the interaction should be — more interpretive than literal.
Final prototype
Planter that glowed and emitted tones in response to plant signals.
Ambient, calming interaction: plants felt alive, not gamified.
Exhibited at major design fairs (Salone Satellite, Maison & Objet, Chelsea Flower Show).
Results
High audience engagement at exhibitions; Koishi often described as “poetic” or “surprising.”
Shortlisted and covered in design press.
Prototype only — never commercialised, but sparked interest in biofeedback and design.
Learnings
Even niche experiments can reach wide audiences when the core idea is resonant.
The form factor matters as much as the interaction… Koishi’s stone-like shape made it approachable.
Collaboration with engineers was key to bridging raw data and user experience.
