CUBE by N.THING, a Korean AgriTech startup, is a modular farm set up that offers mass productivity with proper optimization of the crop’s environment.
Food is a basic necessity for the existence of all species on this planet. The plant-based food humans consume grows on fertile soil that supports agriculture. However, not every patch of land germinates seeds, and many countries do not have much fertile soil. Also, with the increasing population of the world, allotting land for housing stands in the face of loss of agricultural land. Keeping all these issues in mind, one company decided to implement technology to build farms that can sustain in any environment and produce excellent yield. N.THING Inc. revolutionizes farming not only on Earth but also on Mars. This article looks into the company and its offerings for the betterment of human life. It shall also talk about its technology called N.THING CUBE and its uses.
What is N.THING Inc.?
N.THING Inc. is a Korean technology company that started in 2014 with its first product as a mobile-friendly gardening journal. In its first year of establishment, N.THING Inc. received recognition at a global level. The founders gradually came up with a smart-pot called Planty, and the journey from there is now a legacy in the agricultural industry. This company is at the peak of the Agri-food tech world. Its technological advancements aim at innovating the basics of farming. They aim to incorporate agricultural procedures that remain independent of location, soil features, and time. Yet, bring forward consumable, clean, and safe food across the globe at any given time.
This group works with the vision to logically and viably transform the agricultural food chain so that no one in the world goes hungry. They incorporate cutting-edge technology to bring you farms anywhere, even in desserts. The technology behind this invention allows any plant to grow under a controlled environment in vertical, modular, cubical farms. The IoT technology used in these farms allows the engineers to monitor everything in the CUBE via their tablets.
Their first-ever farm was in the Yongin district in South Korea in 2018. This site now undertakes commercial production of grain and carries out further research and development. Their second set of cubes sit in Abu Dhabi, where the weather conditions have for agriculture. These cubes have passed the testing phases and will turn into a commercial production site soon. They also have an in-store establishment in Korea called Sik Mul Sung Dosan.
N.THING’s CUBE, an indoor modular vertical farm that does not affect or change the surrounding environment, is also a CES 2022 Innovation Award Honoree in sustainability, eco-design, & smart energy category.
The N.THING CUBE
The N.THING CUBE sits at the center of the smart-farming story. This device consists of three parts: the container, the OS, and the Operating Service, and all these put together make this product a turnkey solution to contemporary farming.
The CUBE
N.THING Inc. makes three categories of cubes; CUBE 15, CUBE 84, and CUBE 02. Out of these, CUBE 84 is the commercial-level modular structure. The other two support the teams as testing and PoC models. Their farms are controllable, and you can scale them vertically, which means lesser consumption of land. With technology, they monitor the health and need of every sapling closely. As this method does not use any pesticides or harmful chemicals, it yields premium quality produce. There is no added environmental pollution from these vertical cubes, and they use much fewer resources due to the focused use of technology and research. The environment of each cube gets controlled by the OS, and hence these crops do not face any adverse conditions resulting in premium yield every time.
CUBE’s Operating System and Services
Their Operating is unlike any other app you know for gardening. It is a dedicated system that monitors the plants and their environment in real-time. The operating system guides the team regarding the external weather condition and requirements of the plan as well. It also comes with a camera that updates real-time images of the cubes from every angle. This system also sends an alarm signal in case of any plant emergency. The management can operate the nutrient pump water controls and other farming utilities with the help of this system. It only allows authorized users to access information and has a rigid security system.
In the End!
Vertical farming is the future, and N.THING Inc. has already realized it for many. As the company expands its foothold, its vision will soon become a reality. It could mean the end of hunger and famine in the world. With lesser forests getting cleared to make way for farmland, it could also reduce the carbon footprint and cleaner air for all. The possibilities with N.THING Inc. are endless. With such glass-shattering ideas, they could even make their vision of growing plants on Mars come true.
