{
  "id": 16586714,
  "title": "This gadget uses AI to listen to plants and translate what they say",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/26/this-gadget-uses-ai-to-listen-to-plants-and-translate-what-they-say",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-10-26T10:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Fast Company",
    "slug": "fast-company",
    "url": "https://www.fastcompany.com/91627575/this-gadget-uses-ai-to-listen-to-plants-and-translate-what-they-say"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Electric Plant Co. has developed a handheld sensor called Bud that uses artificial intelligence to listen to plants and translate their electrical signals into data that humans can comprehend. The sensor, which attaches to plants with two stainless steel screws, is capable of detecting the electric signals emitted by plants in response to environmental factors. These signals can provide information about the plant's hydration levels and stress, among other things. Bud's AI model, named Bombadil, has been trained on over 4 million hours of electrical signals from more than 1,400 plants of various species, including trees, shrubs, and common houseplants. The model is able to estimate seven physiological stress markers from the electrical signals, such as photosystem efficiency and the temperature differential between leaves and air, and then translates these signals into insights about the plant's condition. Electric Plant's founders, Justin Mast and co-founder, tell Fast Company that plants generate electricity and track and decode the electrical signals that plants give off in response to environmental stimuli. This allows the sensor to gather data about conditions such as hydration and stress. Mast compares the sensor to a dongle, stating that the plant itself is the sophisticated technology and that we are tapping into and listening to the microreceptors processing information about the world around it. Other companies are also working on translating plant needs into plain language, such as Vivent Biosignals in Switzerland, which reports having monitored over 2 million plant days using AI technology. The technology has the potential to improve planting efficiency and increase the success rate of plants, especially in the face of rising costs for things like fertilizer and warmer temperatures. Mast, who previously founded the direct-to-consumer houseplant delivery service Bloomscape, explains that while working there, he learned how difficult it is to provide accurate information to customers about their plants' needs based on various contextual factors. Electric Plant's technology offers a faster and more efficient way to understand a plant's needs and respond accordingly, potentially revolutionizing the way we care for plants in various settings, from homes to forests and agricultural fields.",
  "summary": "If plants could talk, they might be able to help us better understand environmental conditions. A new sensor was designed to do just that by using AI to listen to and translate plant-speak into data humans can understand. Bud, from Electric Plant Co ., is a lightweight, low-cost handheld sensor that attaches to plants through two probes. It detects and interprets the electric signals that plants…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}