HexaFlow
Modular Capillary Action Nanolab
Borrowing the thorny devil's capillary skin, HexaFlow pairs AI vision with SLA-printed hex channels to water plants on demand — a closed-loop nanolab built around a 2.2-second test window.
What is HexaFlow?
HexaFlow is a modular capillary action nanolab that uses AI vision and biomimicry to deliver water to plants. A five-member team from Tri-County RVTHS built the system to prevent root rot while enabling interchangeable experiments and rapid data collection — all inside a 2.2-second test window.
The hexagonal channels take their cue from the thorny devil lizard (Moloch horridus), which transports water through grooved skin by capillary action. A vision model reads root moisture from the camera and drives the pump, closing a continuous feedback loop that prevents overwatering and root rot.
Manufacturing relies on SLA 3D printing in resin. Resin's polar bonds grip water more tightly than water molecules grip each other, driving efficient capillary transport — strong enough that the system holds water even when inverted.
How It Works
Four interlocking systems, one closed-loop nanolab.
Hexagonal Geometry
Thorny-devil-inspired channels move water by capillary action — 10.12 mL capacity, 0.020 in gaps between hexagons, SLA-printed resin dome.
Learn more → 02AI Vision Control
A vision model reads root moisture and triggers the pump only when the plant needs it — a continuous feedback loop that prevents overwatering.
Learn more → 03Aeroponics
Plants hang in air and draw water straight from the channels — watered only when the roots are dry, with no growing medium to rot.
Learn more → 04Modular Design
A sliding shelf system that supports two configurations from one enclosure: drop-test (high-capacity pump) and long-term (precision pump + sensors).
Learn more →Our Team
Tri-County RVTHS · Franklin, Massachusetts