Cellphone technology becomes guiding light for Japan's indoor farm

In what is considered a world-first technology, beds of leaf lettuce are ripening safely indoors at a factory in Hikari, 50 kilometers (30 miles) east of Tokyo, under red light-emitting diodes (LEDs) which help illuminate mobile phones, reports the AFP.

"The invention is billed as a way to develop purely organic vegetables with less labor and a sure supply even in the worst weather.

The process, developed and licensed by Cosmo Plant Co. Ltd. which set up its first factory in 1999, expands on indoor farming methods that use fluorescent lights.

Red LEDs require less power, cutting by 60 percent the electricity bill from fluorescent lights, said Cosmo Plant president Hisakazu Uchiyama.

"The annual electricity bill fell by about 60 million yen (577,000 dollars)," Uchiyama said."

emily | 8:26 AM | Technology |
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