Plant Scanner: A Handheld PDA Using RFID Tags for Child Visitors to the Michigan 4-H Children’s Garden

Interactive handheld technology is being used in the Indoor 4-H Children’s Garden for the first time. The Plant Scanner Project uses a handheld device (PDA) to teach children introductory plant biology and enhance their exploration of the indoor children’s garden. The project bridges the real world (the children’s garden) with a virtual world that exists inside the handheld device. A child walks through the 4-H Children’s Garden with a handheld device and stops in front of a plant-let’s say a tomato plant. In front of the tomato plant is a physical sign. If the child waves the PDA over the tomato sign, information about the tomato plant appears in the interface. The PDA in this case is like a ‘plant-scanner.