Researchers used a conductive polymer to create "wired" roses. (Credit: Linköping University) Researchers have created simple electronic components inside the stems and leaves of living roses, using the rose’s own vascular system to produce working wires and even simple display devices. By adding a specialized polymer to roses' xylem, researchers electronically "wired" roses without disrupting the plant's ability to transport water and nutrients. Though plants with built-in electronic circuitry are still in their early days of development, researchers envision a day when these cyborg plants give feedback about their health and even display that information on their leaves — like a simple screen — for farmers to read.
Swedish scientists bought freshly cut roses from the local flower shop, and put them into water that contained an electrically conductive polymer called PEDOT-S, which tends to form a gel when it's combined with water and positively charged ions. When the rose ...
