IED Istituto Europeo Di Design Barcelona
Graduates: 2023
Specialisms: Product Design / Design Research / Modelmaking
My location: Barcelona, Spain
First Name: Gina
Last Name: Bastero
University / College: IED Istituto Europeo Di Design Barcelona
Course / Program: Product Design Official Undergraduate Degree
Graduates: 2023
Specialisms: Product Design / Design Research / Modelmaking
My Location: Barcelona, Spain
Website: Click To See Website
The origin of the concept of Mayko comes from extensive research around the subsoil. During this investigation, a connection was made between the existence of a type of fungi called mycorrhizal and their ability to synthesize key substances for plant growth, such as carbon, nitrogen, and potassium. Thanks to this ability, a symbiotic relationship develops between the plant and the fungus, wherein the fungi receive sucrose and, in return, the plants obtain C + N + K, the substances found in fertilizers. Thus, Mayko aims to introduce the concept of the mycorrhizal robot, a robot whose main objective is to replace the excessive use of synthetic fertilizers in intensive agriculture models. Mayko's operation revolves around an internal central deposit that contains a substance based on a type of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus. The robot inoculates this substance near the roots of crops using a retractable injection system. As a final impact, Mayko intends to change the way we currently work the land and cultivate crops since, without the fungi, the world as we know it would not exist.