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Growing of Things (GoT)

An agricultural/horticultural automation and monitoring network for small to large scale production.

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GoT is an automation and monitoring system designed to aid in the growing of things. For Window Boxes, Home gardens, Community Gardens, Green Houses, Orchards and Farms. It’s not just for plants either, but can be used to monitor stock feeding, movement and health. With a simple to use web based administration and ready to download automation programs setup for specific climatic conditions, plant requirements and common farming practices you can get your garden, orchard or farm basically growing without you

Key Features: 

Horticultural/Agricultural specific automation programs.

Long range radio links for farms.

Meshable sensor nodes.

Web Interface.

Encrypted/Protected Data.

The core of this system is constructed from Arduinos and other off the shelf components so anyone can put the hardware together and modify what is controlled and recorded by the attached sensors and relays. And also how the physical network is laid out and interconnected. The significant difference between GoT and a general IoT system is that the management interface and the automation programs are designed specifically to aid plant and animal production, not controlling your garage door (Not that it couldn’t do that). But for instance with a Temp/Humidity sensor connected you will have access to a predefined automation program that will monitor if the dew point is approaching and automatically activate your sprinkler system to prevent frost damage to your precious crop. This automation program can easily be altered through the management interface to activate a fan or heating system instead of sprinklers if you have a green house. Automations programs will be stored on a web site, users can submit their own or updated version of existing programs. These will be filtered through a variety of search parameters from location based to plant types. 

Follows is a list of the GoT components.

Sensor/Control/Relay Node - Sends and receives information by either built in 433 MHz/Wi-Fi or by GSM/151 MHz radio add on. Nodes can be configured to perform one or a combination of the following (and many more) functions. 

 Monitoring Levels (Tank, Pond, Dam, Creek, River)

 Monitoring Flow/Pressure (Tank, Pond, Dam, Creek, River)

 12/24/250v Relay - Remote Control Valves (Water Pumps, Solar Pumps, Reticulation Solenoids) 

Weather Station (Air Temperature, Humidity, Dew Point, Soil Moisture, Ground Temperature, Wind speed/direction, Rainfall)

Bin Depths (Silo, Sheep/Cattle/Bird Feeders) 

Button/Trigger (Activate functions, Gates opened/closed) 

Light Levels (Plant monitoring) 

Weight (Cattle/Sheep monitoring) 

Methane (Cattle/Sheep monitoring)

Base Station – Data logging, Management Interface Web server, Automation Programs. Collects node data, set nodes parameters and activates switches(relays). The base station coordinates the running of automatic programs. The base station connects to nodes by built in 433MHz/Wi-Fi. GSM and 151 MHz radio modules will be an add-on option for creating long range networks suitable to large scale farming production.

Network Hotspot – A GSM or 151 MHz radio network Wi-Fi hotspot that can be used in vehicles to connect a tablet or phone to the GoT network for management of nodes and automation programs.

Management Interface – The management interface is accessible from any web browser. Automation Programs are entered or downloaded through the interface. Individual sensor data can be accessed. Switches/Relays can be activated. Historical data can be viewed.

GoT Network – A GoT network can contain multiple nodes connected by a mesh network. Node access is controlled by a user/password and rights list (Read only, Read/Write). All (or selected) network data can be encrypted as required.

Software and Hardware Licenses

-----------------------------------------------

At the moment all components  of the GoT systems are open sourced and fall under GPL.

All software libaries contain the required author details and can be viewed Here

As some compents have yet to be sourced, licensing requirements for those can not be detailed at this time.

  • 4 × nrf24l0+ 2.4ghz wireless modules
  • 2 × Arduino Nano v3
  • 1 × 4 relay module
  • 1 × DHT22 Temperature/Humidity Seneor
  • 1 × Soil Moisture Probe

View all 9 components

  • Its been a bit slow of late

    Peter01/06/2015 at 00:58 0 comments

    I've not updated this project in while as I've been busily building our house (out of strawbale) so its ready for the arrival of our first child (any day now).

    I first started this project because its what I need to help manage my gardens and live stock around the farm. So it will be completed (or at least usable) in the next 6 months. Thanks for you interest (and skulls).

  • Whats done, Whats left

    Peter08/21/2014 at 05:39 0 comments

    -----------------

    Whats Done

    ------------------

    Temperature/Humidity sensor data collection

    Soil moisture sensor data collection

    Relay/valve control code

    Wireless data link - Only wifi and still need to be optimised but its functional

    Solar Node 

    Base Station Display (LCD)

    -----------------

    Whats Left

    -----------------

    Meshing nodes

    151MHz radio links

    Wireless Hotspot

    Data encryption

    User rights

    User Interface

    Button Interface

    RTC sync signal

    Automation Program Repository (Website)

  • Its all about permaculture

    Peter08/21/2014 at 03:38 0 comments

    At the core permaculture is optimisation of those processes by which natural systems feedback against each other, to create a pattern of energy exchanges that benefits us. 

    This generally takes the form of connecting mutally beneficial systems together and composting...

    This is what GoT is all about, connecting systems (in this case sometime very distance systems)  by data. To allow the equipment you have to perform mutally beneficial tasks and minmise your own need to apply disproportionate work to any system. And maximise your yield, whether that be carrots or cash.

  • Hydro Power

    Peter08/21/2014 at 00:44 0 comments

    Will be adding a water turbine generator on remote reticulation nodes that will be powered by water flow (from a pressure pump or mains water supply)

    A small solar panel will keep a battery charged for powering the node and providing power to open the solenoid valve (24V 0.43A). When the valve is opened the water flow will run the turbine to keep the valve open(24V 0.25A) as well as charge the battery.

    In this way only a small solar panel will be required to keep the battery topped up when the node is in standby mode.

  • Solar Node

    Peter08/20/2014 at 10:11 0 comments

    Do a bit of testing using an old solar light to run a remote temperature sensor node.

    The case from the solar light will serv very well as case for the node electronics..handy.

  • Ready to Begin

    Peter08/07/2014 at 09:46 0 comments

    All the components have arrived. I've started basic functionality testing by creating a wirless reticulation node.So wireless and relay control code is out of the way, now its only everything else to go.

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stewie.tee wrote 10/28/2015 at 06:39 point

Hi,

I'm wondering what soil moisture sensor you use? I've tried to stay away from the conductivity based sensors, the capacitance ones seem more reliable and less prone to false readings (water contamination/salinity)

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