Repo for Precision Agriculture Systems Design Independent Study Project at York College of Pennsylvania
Purpose: The purpose was to build a functioning controlled environment enclosure used to grow plants, based on the MIT Food Computer. Resources found on the MIT Food Computer website, https://www.media.mit.edu/posts/build-a-food-computer/, were relied on heavily for inspiration however the code was written by me because my food computer would take in fewer inputs and control fewer environmental factors.
Design: For the proof-of-concept, radish plants were seeded in a 17-gallon Galvanized Utility Tub under a 45W grow light. To further improve this design a mini-fridge was salvaged from the side of the road. A mini-fridge was chosen due to the insulation it provided as well as a built-in cooling feature, while being within my price range of $0 - $0. The refrigerator turned out to be broken so all related equipment on the refrigerator was scrapped, however I hope to include an air handling unit in the future to cool the air within the structure for greater control over temperature. A Raspberry Pi was used to connect to the internet and make decisions depending on sensor readings. This Raspberry Pi connects to a 5V Relay Module to control the grow light and heater. A HTU21D-F humidity sensor from Adafruit.com was used to measure humidity and temperature. A TSL2591 Lux Sensor was used to measure light level within the enclosure.
The project is still underway.