GROW: Solar/Piezoelectric Concept Comes to MoMA

SMIT GROW.1 solar/piezo energy delivery system

With a mission to create Sustainably Minded Interactive Technology, Brooklyn-based SMIT thoughtfully mixes a little alternative energy creation (solar and piezo) with museum-worthy design. Their first project, GROW.1 (above), sprouted from an Industrial Design Thesis project in 2005 and employs emerging technology to deliver energy.

Based around a modular brick system, .1 is composed of a small number of different parts. Each brick has 5 solar leaves which have a very flexible piezo generator at their stem; when the "leaves" flap in the breeze or soak up some sunlight, the GROW system harvests the generated juice. Though just a prototype for now, the concept showed enough promise to be selected as part of the Museum of Modern Art's Design and the Elastic Mind exhibition, on display through May 12 in New York. Meanwhile, GROW.2 -- the solar-only version -- already exists.

SMIT GROW.2 solar leaves, in production now in Germany

Manufactured by Carl Stahl Decorcable in Germany, GROW.2 is the solar-only version of the system is designed to enable plants (like ivy and other vines) to grow up the sides of buildings without causing damage to the buildings themselves. One thing we really like about .2 is that it's a totally modular system; if one of the leaves becomes damaged or falls off, it can easily be replaced. ::SMIT via ::Materialicious

More pics of GROW.1 and GROW.2 are below. See also: Solar Tree: New Street Lighting from Ross Lovegrove, Life Through Rose Colored Solar Cells and Piezoelectric Backpack Concept: Take a Walk, Charge Your Gadgets

SMIT GROW.1 exhibit at MoMA
GROW.1 at MoMA