Introduction
One of the main challenges in growing crops is the irrigation system. An optimum amount of water needs to be supplied to the crops, after analysing various environmental conditions. The traditional way of determining the amount of water to be used can lead to the wastage of this precious resource. Internet-of-Things (IoT) can be used to create a smart irrigation controller system (SICS) that can determine the optimum amount of water to be used.
Smart Irrigation Controller System (SICS)
SICS can easily be configured over a web page which helps it to control the attached water pumps. It can be made smart with three configuration modes: Schedule mode, Interval mode and Condition mode. Schedule mode enables the SICS to switch on a water pump for a certain amount of time at a specific time selected by the user. Interval mode enables the SICS to turn on a pump for a certain amount of time repeatedly, after a specified duration inside a time interval. Condition mode enables the SICS to control the pump depending on certain conditions.
What really makes SICS smart are the sensors placed in the field to monitor various environmental factors. The decision making done by humans is now done by this smart device. You can configure the thresholds, and also the factors that are needed to be considered for controlling the pump on the web page. You can also ensure that the water pump is only turned ON when it’s really needed by adding conditions in schedule and interval mode. This ensures that the pump will only turn on once the conditions are satisfied. A number of sensors that can monitor the temperature, pressure, humidity, moisture and sunlight also come with the device. They can be placed in different areas of the field, to monitor conditions of these areas. They are interconnected with the latest mesh technology to always ensure fresh data.
Once configured, SICS can act as a stand-alone system, making decisions as it was instructed to, and ensuring optimal conditions for the growth of crops. The status of the pumps, the history, and the environmental conditions can be monitored on a display. This touchscreen display can also be used to manually control the pumps if necessary. All the reports are logged online and can be compared with productivity, and further changes can be included to increase productivity. The offline mode also comes in handy and ensures that nothing goes wrong even if the device is offline.
By combining the sensor data and the configurations with SICS, the old-fashioned method can be replaced by a smart, reliable and more productive system. Keeping track of the irrigation history and environmental conditions over a period of time paves the way for predictive analysis. One would be able to determine the best irrigation plan according to climatic conditions for increasing productivity, and thereby increasing profit.
The team at WeMakeIoT has expertise in building a Smart Irrigation Controller System which can be customized to your requirements. Write to us at info@wemakeiot.com to see how we can help you to develop a Smart Irrigation Controller System.