CornEase

What it does

CornEase addresses the challenges of inefficient and labour-intensive sweet corn planting on small farms. It combines hole-making, seed-dropping, and soil-covering into one smooth motion, improving planting speed, accuracy, and ease of use.

Your inspiration

The inspiration came from observing the traditional planting method at MARDI's sweet corn farm in Seberang Perai, Penang, Malaysia. During a farm visit, I saw the labourious steps: creating holes with a stick, manually dropping seeds, and covering them by hand. Seeing how tiring and time-consuming this was — especially for older or less experienced workers — sparked the idea for a design-based solution that could help small-scale farmers without needing expensive machinery.

How it works

CornEase uses a simple mechanical system to complete three key planting steps — hole creation, seed dropping, and soil covering—in one forward motion. 1. Hole Creation: A front planting roller with sharp ridged edges rotates as it moves, cutting evenly spaced holes into the soil. 2. Seed Dispensing: A gravity-fed seed chamber is linked to a spring-loaded flap that releases one seed per rotation, ensuring accurate and jam-free planting. 3. Soil Covering: A rear curved plate drags loose soil over the seed hole as the tool moves forward, passively sealing it without extra effort. 4. Ergonomic Handle: The adjustable telescopic handle allows users to set a comfortable working height, with padded grips to reduce fatigue during use.

Design process

1. Observation & Research – Visited MARDI farm and documented the full planting process. 2. Problem Identification – Manual labour was inefficient and tiring. 3. Ideation and Sketching – Explored various mechanical and ergonomic concepts. 4. Concept Refinement – Focused on simplicity and practicality. 5. Prototyping – Created physical models to test seed flow and ergonomics. 6. Testing – Checked performance on real soil beds, adjusted handle height and seed chamber angle. 7. Final Design – Optimised for smooth motion, ease of use, and manufacturability.

How it is different

Unlike many planting tools that are either too simple or too costly and complex, CornEase is specifically designed for small-scale sweet corn farming. It combines hole-making, seed-dropping, and soil-covering into one smooth motion, improving speed and consistency. Tailored to corn seed size and spacing, the internal mechanism ensures one-by-one seed delivery. Its lightweight, ergonomic design suits rural or uneven terrain, especially in Asian farming conditions. While most tools target large farms or single functions, CornEase offers an affordable, multi-functional solution. Though optimised for sweet corn, future testing may expand its use to other seed types.

Future plans

Future plans for CornEase include adapting the seed mechanism to support different crop types and using eco-friendly materials. Later versions may include add-ons like a fertiliser dispenser or adjustable planting depth.

Awards