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Hummingbirds are the focus of this project. Research shows their population decline is largely due to global warming and human impact. Climate change causes their natural food sources to bloom earlier than usual, so when hummingbirds migrate back to the East Coast, many flowers are already gone. As a result, they depend more on bird feeders. This creates further risks: housecats are a leading cause of hummingbird deaths, and poorly maintained feeders can grow mold, which can cause serious and sometimes fatal illnesses when consumed.
At first, I considered redesigning an easier-to-clean bird feeder, but I realized it did not address the root problem. This led me to ask how we might create a more engaging and educational experience that teaches people about hummingbirds and their ecological importance while promoting conservation. Through an ideation mind map, the direction became clearer.
After mind mapping and research, my final solution was to create a versatile experience that combines physical and digital elements to make learning about hummingbirds and their ecological importance more engaging while encouraging conservation. This led to Seedle, a seed shaker paired with a companion app where users can track plant growth, discover species, and contribute to a shared bloom map.
The companion app provides a window into the digital aspect of the mission of rebuilding our ecosystem. Users can manage their plant collection, virtually shake for suggested species to plant, observe & report bird spottings, and interact with the Seedle community all through their personal devices.
Seedle was featured at the RISD Industrial Design Triennial Exhibition @ Woods-Gerry Gallery.