Conservation kit encourages public to grow coral at home

A self-growing coral cultivation kit that enables anyone to grow coral at home and contribute to maintaining marine biodiversity has been developed by a visiting researcher working at the Division of Industrial Design (DID) at CDE.

The Coral Rescue kit, designed by Tomomi Sayuda, a visiting fellow at DID from the University of Tokyo, centres around a specially-designed tank that enables members of the public to grow coral for eventual return to the ocean.

"This project aims to make marine science more accessible and provide opportunities for public participation in coral conservation," Ms Sayuda said.

Once the home-grown coral reaches an appropriate size it can be returned to the sea by experienced divers, helping to restore and maintain vital coral reefs that form the basis for the tropical marine ecosystem.

Aside from the tank, it includes a specially designed app to monitor and manage the coral growth.

The team has also developed a workshop format to educate the public about marine conservation and encourage engagement using tools such as displays of local Singapore corals and flashcards related to coral research.

The project evolved from a collaboration between the DID and the NUS Tropical Marine Science Institute as well as the DLX Design Lab, Institute of Industrial Science, at the University of Tokyo (UTokyo).

EDITOR'S NOTE: This design project is not intended to be implemented in Singapore. Corals are protected globally and members of the public should be aware that there are local regulations pertaining to the harvesting, rearing and transplanting of corals.