#NTUDI Product Design Student Showcase Spotlight: Jesse Tyrrell

Today’s Spotlight piece features BA (Hons) Product Design student Jesse Tyrrell.

Totum by Jesse Tyrrell, BA (Hons) Product Design

While we are deeply disappointed that the summer degree show is unable to go ahead as planned, we are excited that the NTU Design Industries' (NTUDI) Product Design Online Student Showcase will launch on Friday 19 June 2020.

In the run up to the launch of the virtual event, will be sharing a series of student projects from across our BA (Hons) Product Design, BSc (Hons) Product Design and BA (Hons) Furniture and Product Design courses through #NTUDI Spotlights.

Totum

A 'smart' micro garden for the home, Totum looks to the future of fresh food consumption.

The Totum micro garden lets consumers grow microgreens at home. Growing between one and three inches in height, microgreens have very high nutritional value, while requiring very little space to grow. Containing up to 40 times more nutrients than mature vegetables, these powerful baby greens are a welcome addition to any diet.

A tiered cyclical growth system means the plants are always growing, allowing consistent access for users. Built in sensors monitor growth and adjust conditions accordingly. The user assumes the role of an overseer, watching over the plants physically and virtually via the accompanying app until they are primed for consumption.

Users can monitor growth via an app

Physical interaction is limited to setting up and initiating the growth cycle, replenishing the water tank once every two days and finally harvesting and consuming the microgreens once the cycle is completed. Giving users daily access to microgreens to supplement their diet is of significant benefit to their health. The system is designed to engage the user in the growth process and bring life into the home, benefitting both their physical and mental wellbeing.

While the critical focus is the consumer’s health, Totum also addresses sustainability. By creating a closed-loop system of food production, waste is eradicated and the need for purchasing unsustainable foods are reduced.

Jesse explained: “This project looks to the future. It was approached from a problem-solving perspective and I believe the final solution genuinely serves a purpose in a time when, more than ever before, self-sufficiency and maintaining a healthy lifestyle are essential facets of daily life.

“In times of turbulence we have to adapt, not just as individuals but collectively as a global society. Changing attitudes to the way we consume food will be an essential part of overcoming the challenges which lie ahead. Almost half of all fresh food produced globally is wasted. This has to change.

“I believe Totum offers a new perspective in regard to how we perceive and consume food, a perspective which we need to embrace for the good of the planet.”

Jesse Tyrrell

Find out more about the NTU Design Industries' Virtual Student Showcase on our website and follow @NTUDI on Instagram for all the latest updates.

Published on 10 June 2020