Hum Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 This idea of faux trees has taken root in Massachusetts with an urban tree competition called Boston Treepods 2011. Sponsored by the SHIFTboston organization, teams of designers have developed proposals for synthetic urban trees that would essentially do what real trees do -- convert carbon dioxide into oxygen -- but without the need to be planted in soil or nourished by water. "Influx Studio in Paris is currently pulling together the specifications and obtaining necesssary approval on specific patenting, and it should be finished by the end of April," Kim Poliquin, director of SHIFTboston, told AOL News in an e-mail. "Following finalization of documents and approval in early May, SHIFTboston will put the Boston Treepod out to bid. We are hoping to obtain competitive pricing to produce the initial prototype," she added. Composed of recycled plastic bottles, :huh: the treepods utilize a carbon dioxide-removal technique called "humidity swing" that helps clean the air. These air-filtering faux trees look like giant futuristic urban lamps that light up at night in multiple colors. They can also generate energy via solar panels as well as kinetic energy created by young and old sitting on interactive seesaws attached to the base of the trees. Purists might object to the idea of creating artificial trees, saying that all we need to do is plant more trees. At least these treepods would be up and running, so to speak, long before new trees can provide the same amount of oxygen to a geographic location. SHIFTboston is aiming to "plant" the prototype treepod by early 2012. source Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/983234-artificial-trees-to-produce-oxygen/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandon Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 I want one for my backyard Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/983234-artificial-trees-to-produce-oxygen/#findComment-593800314 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sionic Ion Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 They should try modifying the biology of living organisms such as *real trees* instead of making contraptions like that... Maybe make them grow faster and rely on water less. They could possibly try and make the trees share roots and work together to deliver water to the tree that needs it the most. All by modifying the biology to make them better. Still ****es me off they don't try experiments on improving human DNA, but no, people will whine that clones will be born and debate who is the real one and who is the clone ---> "I'm you *******! **** off, this is my life!" and then go on about how they don't have souls either... Serously people contradict themselves way too much, clones aren't going to mutate into dinosaurs with all your memories, they are going to be a step forward to better immune systems and more durable body parts like joints and knees as examples. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/983234-artificial-trees-to-produce-oxygen/#findComment-593800334 Share on other sites More sharing options...
team_NOOB Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 Looks like that light tree thing from avatar.. Guth and Sadelwo 2 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/983234-artificial-trees-to-produce-oxygen/#findComment-593800340 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lels Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 Dude. I want one. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/983234-artificial-trees-to-produce-oxygen/#findComment-593800350 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hollow.Droid Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 Looks great, I can't imagine many people having too many complaints about this type of structure around towns :) On 18/03/2011 at 02:44, Sionic Ion said: They should try modifying the biology of living organisms such as *real trees* instead of making contraptions like that... Maybe make them grow faster and rely on water less. They could possibly try and make the trees share roots and work together to deliver water to the tree that needs it the most. All by modifying the biology to make them better. Still ****es me off they don't try experiments on improving human DNA, but no, people will whine that clones will be born and debate who is the real one and who is the clone ---> "I'm you *******! **** off, this is my life!" and then go on about how they don't have souls either... Serously people contradict themselves way too much, clones aren't going to mutate into dinosaurs with all your memories, they are going to be a step forward to better immune systems and more durable body parts like joints and knees as examples. Eugenics buddy, we all know how that ended in Star Trek :no: Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/983234-artificial-trees-to-produce-oxygen/#findComment-593800354 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hum Posted March 18, 2011 Author Share Posted March 18, 2011 I can see these on sale at K-Mart now ... :laugh: Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/983234-artificial-trees-to-produce-oxygen/#findComment-593800802 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bamsebjørn Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 Actual trees do the same and they grow faster with high concentrations of CO2 in the air. Maybe they should stick with actual trees instead of making these ugly plastic trees. :wacko: MikeChipshop 1 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/983234-artificial-trees-to-produce-oxygen/#findComment-593800824 Share on other sites More sharing options...
HawkMan Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 On 18/03/2011 at 02:53, Hollow.Droid said: Eugenics buddy, we all know how that ended in Star Trek :no: I think you're confused. Eugenic had little to do with Star Trek, that was actually Genetic modification. Eugenics, doesn't need to do genetic modification, it's about removing the weak and unwanted form the gene pool. and was supported by a lot of people before WWII, including some former American presidents and some other famous geniuses at the time. but after Hitler put it into practice it became kind of unpopular to be a eugenics supporter so they all pretended that never happened. Anyway, good idea. but unless they're planning to make a billion of these and plant a forest, they're not going to make a tiniest bit of difference. even all the worlds forests only produce a fraction of the worlds oxygen, most of the oxygen we breathe is created in the seas. Some fancy park trees won't create a noticeable difference even with highly sensitive instruments even if we carpeted every park in the world with them. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/983234-artificial-trees-to-produce-oxygen/#findComment-593800846 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yusuf M. Veteran Posted March 18, 2011 Veteran Share Posted March 18, 2011 Something like this would be useful in say, interstellar space travel. Any carbon dioxide emissions could be converted to oxygen for the crew. Chasethebase, Sadelwo and Glassed Silver 3 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/983234-artificial-trees-to-produce-oxygen/#findComment-593800858 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Audioboxer Subscriber² Posted March 18, 2011 Subscriber² Share Posted March 18, 2011 Seems useful in areas which may be harder for trees to survive, or at least grow in larger populations. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/983234-artificial-trees-to-produce-oxygen/#findComment-593800864 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soldiers33 Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 and now its going to become the times of artificial trees instead of real ones. Next time ill be walking through the park looking at thease hideous things Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/983234-artificial-trees-to-produce-oxygen/#findComment-593800866 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hollow.Droid Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 On 18/03/2011 at 08:43, HawkMan said: I think you're confused. Eugenic had little to do with Star Trek, that was actually Genetic modification. Eugenics, doesn't need to do genetic modification, it's about removing the weak and unwanted form the gene pool. and was supported by a lot of people before WWII, including some former American presidents and some other famous geniuses at the time. but after Hitler put it into practice it became kind of unpopular to be a eugenics supporter so they all pretended that never happened. It was a joke...you know, the Eugenics war? I realise actual eugenics is based on producing the best offspring through selective mating and ST eugenics is based on giving you the strength of 5 Klingons....I just didn't think it was necessary to explain this in a joke :p Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/983234-artificial-trees-to-produce-oxygen/#findComment-593801108 Share on other sites More sharing options...
threetonesun Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 I don't think you'd ever put one of these in a park, but in certain city locations that are primarily pavement or concrete, they would make sense. Times Square, for example. In Boston, I think they would make City Hall Plaza look a billion times nicer. Most of the rest of the city has a lot of natural trees on it already though. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/983234-artificial-trees-to-produce-oxygen/#findComment-593801364 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahhell Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 Those things are totally rad. They look like something out of Earth: Final Conflict. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/983234-artificial-trees-to-produce-oxygen/#findComment-593801392 Share on other sites More sharing options...
sava700 Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 pretty awesome.. you can plant these on the roof's of buildings considering they are taking up land where you would plant tree's! They are made of recycled plastic so that helps in other ways. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/983234-artificial-trees-to-produce-oxygen/#findComment-593801404 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Growled Member Posted March 19, 2011 Member Share Posted March 19, 2011 Those are awesome. I want one. It looks like something from a sci-fi movie. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/983234-artificial-trees-to-produce-oxygen/#findComment-593803300 Share on other sites More sharing options...
splur Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 It removes CO2, does it actually create oxygen? Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/983234-artificial-trees-to-produce-oxygen/#findComment-593803496 Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoredBozirini Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 On 18/03/2011 at 08:50, Soldiers33 said: and now its going to become the times of artificial trees instead of real ones. Next time ill be walking through the park looking at thease hideous things Gotta adapt to the modern times. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/983234-artificial-trees-to-produce-oxygen/#findComment-593804286 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Derf Veteran Posted March 19, 2011 Veteran Share Posted March 19, 2011 On 18/03/2011 at 02:53, Hollow.Droid said: Eugenics buddy, we all know how that ended in Star Trek :no: On 18/03/2011 at 08:43, HawkMan said: I think you're confused. Eugenic had little to do with Star Trek, that was actually Genetic modification. Eugenics, doesn't need to do genetic modification, it's about removing the weak and unwanted form the gene pool. and was supported by a lot of people before WWII, including some former American presidents and some other famous geniuses at the time. but after Hitler put it into practice it became kind of unpopular to be a eugenics supporter so they all pretended that never happened. The idea was that they used genetic modification to accelerate the goals of Eugenics. In term of the actual topic, This sort of thing would be good in a town square or open public space but I don't see it practical for residential neighbourhoods or street level shopping areas. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/983234-artificial-trees-to-produce-oxygen/#findComment-593804314 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandon H Supervisor Posted March 19, 2011 Supervisor Share Posted March 19, 2011 very interesting On 18/03/2011 at 08:48, Anaron said: Something like this would be useful in say, interstellar space travel. Any carbon dioxide emissions could be converted to oxygen for the crew. well ..... Yeah. the things are basically large scale CO2 scrubbers Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/983234-artificial-trees-to-produce-oxygen/#findComment-593804330 Share on other sites More sharing options...
UN1X Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 On 18/03/2011 at 02:44, Sionic Ion said: They should try modifying the biology of living organisms such as *real trees* instead of making contraptions like that... Maybe make them grow faster and rely on water less. They could possibly try and make the trees share roots and work together to deliver water to the tree that needs it the most. All by modifying the biology to make them better. Still ****es me off they don't try experiments on improving human DNA, but no, people will whine that clones will be born and debate who is the real one and who is the clone ---> "I'm you *******! **** off, this is my life!" and then go on about how they don't have souls either... Serously people contradict themselves way too much, clones aren't going to mutate into dinosaurs with all your memories, they are going to be a step forward to better immune systems and more durable body parts like joints and knees as examples. Don't f**k with nature. These trees are acceptable, because nature isn't being screwed with. They are machines that mimic nature, positively. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/983234-artificial-trees-to-produce-oxygen/#findComment-593815864 Share on other sites More sharing options...
PyX Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 It would fit in Final Fantasy XIII?s only city (can?t remember the name). Does it produce MORE oxygen than regular trees? If it produces like 100 times more, it could be reaaaaaaaally nice. Less than that, no. But they got the style, man. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/983234-artificial-trees-to-produce-oxygen/#findComment-593830776 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hum Posted March 28, 2011 Author Share Posted March 28, 2011 On 19/03/2011 at 16:04, Brando212 said: very interesting well ..... Yeah. the things are basically large scale CO2 scrubbers Global warming, solved. ;) Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/983234-artificial-trees-to-produce-oxygen/#findComment-593831712 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adny Grey Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Global warming getting solved so easily.Then what will these countries and NGO's fight for :unsure: :rolleyes: :cool: Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/983234-artificial-trees-to-produce-oxygen/#findComment-593975684 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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