Students are invited to observe and interact with the hidden world of insects through a smart insect hotel embedded with environmental sensors. Designed for school gardens and STEAM classrooms, this device monitors temperature, light, moisture, and insect activity in real time, helping students connect scientific data with natural cycles. Through a mobile app, students explore the relationship between insects and plant growth, receive gardening tips, and engage in hands-on environmental education that aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This project transforms gardening into an ecological learning adventure.
My Role
Creative Technologist
UI/UX Designer
Product Designer
Skills
Expeience Design
Environmental Systems
Physical Computing
UX/UI Design
Project type
Sustainability Education
STEAM Toolkit
Sensor-Driven Product
Timeline
April 2020 - July 2020
Refine by:
March 2025 - April 2025
Project Background
In recent decades, the rapid urbanization and use of chemical fertilizers have significantly disrupted the delicate relationship between insects and plants in residential areas. Insects such as bees, earthworms, and beetles play irreplaceable roles in pollination, soil health, and pest control—yet their habitats are being reduced or ignored in modern home gardening. According to the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), over 40% of insect species face extinction within decades, threatening ecological resilience and food production.
Design Opportunity
This project reimagines the traditional insect hotel as an interactive, educational STEM device that engages users—especially children and beginners in urban gardening—to learn about biodiversity, gardening cycles, and sustainability. Through environmental sensors and digital feedback, users can observe how temperature, light, and humidity affect both insects and plant growth, fostering ecological awareness and scientific thinking.
Through identifying the gap in gardening knowledge among beginners and analyzing common challenges of home gardening, we discovered that insects are not only helpful but essential partners in a thriving garden. By making their contributions visible and understandable, this build up the fundamental research
Ideation & Concept Development
Based on the lifecycle of both plants and insects, we mapped out a sensor-supported system to visualize the environment's impact on growth and biodiversity.
Aligned with global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 11, 12, 15), the Insects Hotel promotes hands-on STEM learning by integrating:
Environmental Monitoring (via Arduino sensors)
Ecological Literacy (through plant-insect relationships)
Behavioral Change (encouraging sustainable gardening practices)
Prototyping with Arduino
We built a modular insect hotel using recycled materials. Embedded sensors track moisture, temperature, light, and nearby movement, paired with a buzzer to attract insects.
App Integration
A companion app visualizes real-time data, gives planting suggestions, provides insect identification, and guides users with seasonal tasks and reminders.
