About
A lab on a shady knoll.
Shady Knoll Labs LLC is an independent venture started by Martin Abbott to build practical tools at the intersection of hardware, software, and growing things.
Why it exists
Most plant-care advice comes down to "bright, indirect light," which isn't something you can measure. Professional quantum sensors can, but they cost more than most hobbyists will spend. SKL started from a simple question: how close can a small, affordable sensor get to answering what light a plant is really receiving?
What we're building
The first project is Garden Gnodes, a set of low-cost light sensors, and GNode Hub, the dashboard that collects their readings and estimates PAR and far-red light over time. The plan starts with a hosted service and later opens the codebase so makers can run it themselves.
What guides the work
- Scientific honesty: estimates are labeled as estimates, with their limits spelled out.
- Plain language: if a new grower can't follow it, it isn't finished.
- Openness: build things people can understand, modify, and keep running.
Who's behind it
SKL is run by Martin Abbott, who builds the hardware and software on nights and weekends, with a lot of feedback from early testers along the way.