Plant 4.0 (Initializing plant incubator with IOT)

A baby plant incubator is designed to provide a safe and controlled environment for seeds to grow into a seedling. A plant incubator that enables us to control all-natural parameters essential for plant growth using a closed control system of sensors, actuators, and microcontrollers. Here sensors re

Project Title

Plant 4.0 (Initializing plant incubator with IOT)

Project Area of Specialization

Mechatronics Engineering

Project Summary

A baby plant incubator is designed to provide a safe and controlled environment for seeds to grow into a seedling. A plant incubator that enables us to control all-natural parameters essential for plant growth using a closed control system of sensors, actuators, and microcontrollers. Here sensors read and send data to the microcontroller while actuators receive instructions from the microcontroller and act accordingly. The parameters controlled include light, temperature, humidity, pH, and nutrients. A range is set for each parameter, and whenever the values increase or decrease beyond that range, the microcontroller acts accordingly. The hydroponics technique is used for irrigation purposes where instead of using soil, nutrient solution along with an aqueous solvent is used. The drip system method is used for watering the seeds where water is sprayed using a sprayer so that water spreads evenly throughout the field. Cocopeat and Peet Mos are used to hold seeds still. The complete system is managed through a cloud-based server where using IoT data is sent, stored, and received. The stored data can then be used to find the best optimal conditions for a plant to grow.

Project Objectives

The objectives of this project are:

• To increase crop yield.
• To turn the traditional farming system into a smart, automatized farming system.
• Decrease dependency on humans in the farming sector.
• Reduce overhead costs for plantations by decreasing losses and inefficient use of resources.
• Decrease the use of pesticides, insecticides and fertilizers in farming.
• Finding optimal conditions for a plant to grow.

Project Implementation Method

The project is implemented by following the below-stated steps in the sequence as written.

• First we do literature review and research work to find information relevant to the project, including parameters detail and method/techniques to be used. 
• Using Solidworks, a CAD model is finalized for the incubator, where all essential testings related to the mechanics of the project are conducted.
• Schematics for the project are finalized, including the locations for sensors and actuators.
• Market survey is done to finalize suitable and most efficient components for the task to be fulfilled.  
• Purchasing of components.
• Mechanical structure fabrication is done where aluminum rods and acrylic sheets are attached.
• Marking for Sensors, actuators and tank placement is done.
• Laser cutting to finalize the exterior body of the incubator. 
• Using a lead screw mechanism lift system is built for the tray so that height could easily be varied.
•  A fibreglass sheet is placed in the lift mechanism as the surface for the tray.
• The tank is placed on the base of the incubator below fibreglass. 
• Sensors and actuators are placed, and their wires are connected.
• The microcontroller and power supply are connected to all components in the incubator. 
• Coding for Sensors and actuators is done using Arduino IDE software.
• Using an IoT microcontroller is connected to an online server, and coding is finalized for that.
• Testing of sensors and actuators.
• Testing cloud data storage.
• Final incubator testing for any errors. 
• Seeds are placed in the tray using Peet Mos, and parameter value ranges are set for the planted crop. 
• Data is collected till the seed is grown into a seedling, and data is stored online on the server.
• Two to three different batches of seeds are tested, and data for four to five weeks is collected.
• Using collected data, optimal conditions are found for the planted seed.
• The final report and conclusion are generated.

Benefits of the Project

Benefits of this project are:

• Efficient farming system.
• Reduces wastage of resources. e.g., capital, labour, etc. 
• Reduces loss of crops because of bad weather and insect/pest attacks.
• Increases percentage yield per acre and reduces the amount of water needed.
• No weather or season limitations in different crop production. Every type of crop available throughout the entire year.
• Plants can easily grow in areas facing drought. 
• Optimal conditions for a plant to grow.
• Dependency on fertilizers and other nitrate-based chemicals for healthy yield decreases.
• Help Pakistan achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations.
• Merges industry 4.0 with the agriculture sector of Pakistan.
• As Pakistan lacks new technology, this would be an initiative towards industry 4.0 in Pakistan's agriculture sector, leading to more research conducted locally in the desired technology.
• An alternative method for farming that is more reliable and efficient than the traditionally used method. 
• It helps strengthen Pakistan's GDP, as Pakistan's exports mainly depend on the agriculture sector.
• This project could help balance the future supply-demand ratio of crops.
• In the future, Pakistan might face a water crisis; thus, this project enables farming continuity by utilizing a lesser amount of water than the traditional farming methods.
• Help decrease world food shortage and fight hunger crises by producing more yield while using the same area.

Technical Details of Final Deliverable

The final deliverable will be a plant incubator connected to a cloud-based server that can easily grow any plant anywhere in the world by creating an artificial environment for that crop by varying different essential parameters of its growth. 

• A controlled environment in the shape of a cube enclosed chamber having dimensions of 2x2x2 feet.
• One tray with 2 or 3 batches of seeds can be controlled at a time.
• The Hydroponics Drip system is used for supplying water and nutrients to plants.
• A fibreglass holding sheet to hold the plastic tray in which seeds will be grown.
• A lead screw mechanism is used to vary the tray's height and allow upward and downward movement.
• Pumps to deliver water and nutrients-based solution from tank to nozzle/sprayer through the pipe.
• DHT11 Sensors are used for measuring Humidity and Temperature.
• Humidity is controlled using exhaust fans and humidifiers.
• The temperature is controlled using a heater and a Peltier based cooling system.
• Lux Sensors are used to sense light intensity.
• RGB LED light with controllable intensity is used to control the light spectrum required by plants.
• TDS sensor, along with its module, is used to maintain the number of nutrients in the tank's aqueous solution.
• PH sensor and its module are used to maintain the pH of the aqueous solution in the tank.
• Node MCU is used as the main microcontroller, and Arduino Uno is connected to it. 
• Hydroponics seedling trays are used which are specially designed for seedlings. 

Final Deliverable of the Project

HW/SW integrated system

Core Industry

Agriculture

Other Industries

Food

Core Technology

Internet of Things (IoT)

Other Technologies

Cloud Infrastructure, Big Data, Clean Tech

Sustainable Development Goals

Zero Hunger, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, Responsible Consumption and Production, Life on Land

Required Resources

If you need this project, please contact me on contact@adikhanofficial.com