![\"HydroBot\"](\"http:\/\/protofusion.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/HydroBotFullLogo-600x384.png\")
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HydroBot is a modular\u00a0control system for automating hydroponic gardens. This system is designed with three objectives\u00a0in mind.\u00a0First, it\u00a0will facilitate optimal growing techniques by using scheduling and feedback control loops to maintain state and adapt to changing conditions. Second,\u00a0it will\u00a0simplify controls interfaces, making setup and use easier for less tech-savvy gardeners.\u00a0Finally, the components will be designed in a modular way to increase flexibility and support\u00a0every\u00a0imaginable\u00a0garden configuration.\u00a0HydroBot aims to bring sensors and actuators together through automation, which will\u00a0allow hobby growers to focus on growing and not on constantly monitoring and adjusting the environment to keep their garden\u00a0stable.<\/p>\n
![\"NFT](\"http:\/\/protofusion.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Hydro_NFT_plants-300x224.jpg\")
NFT Hydroponic System<\/p><\/div>\n
As the world population continues to grow and become increasingly\u00a0connected, more attention is being\u00a0focused on the disparity in living conditions across the globe. The further technology advances, the harder it is to believe that people in many\u00a0parts of the world still struggle with attaining\u00a0basic human necessities\u00a0such as access to clean water and sustainable nutrition, and yet these issues remain unresolved. Addressing these problems will\u00a0require\u00a0collaboration from the global community, and I believe that hydroponics has the potential to be at least one part of the solution. Let’s look at the reasons why hydroponic gardening is superior to traditional agricultural methods.<\/p>\n
The biggest\u00a0downside to hydroponic gardening is the cost and complexity of the system required to support it\u00a0– and that’s where HydroBot comes in.<\/p>\n
HydroBot looks to solve the problem of controlling a complex hydroponic system through\u00a0automation, simple interfaces, and flexible design. Automation will be accomplished through the use of an embedded computer that will handle all the feedback control loops and scheduled tasks. The embedded computer will communicate with a server to provide\u00a0data logging and an easily accessible remote interface. The server will also host a webpage with data graphs and user controls, and have to ability to send out critical system alerts. To make the system flexible, a modular architecture will be used for all functions that interact with the physical world, such as\u00a0sensors and actuators. Each function will have a corresponding module to carry out that\u00a0specific task and report back to the embedded computer, which will act as a central hub for these modules. A multi-drop communication network will be used to connect the\u00a0modules to each other and to the central hub. A block diagram of this system architecture can be found\u00a0below.<\/p>\n
![\"HydroBot](\"http:\/\/protofusion.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/HydroBot-600x476.png\")
HydroBot Block Diagram<\/p><\/div>\n
Although each module will be developed separately\u00a0as the need arises, there are some high level system design decisions that will dictate\u00a0the requirements for the modules. CAN has been chosen as the primary communication network for HydroBot, because it meets the multi-drop requirement, works well over relatively long distances, is very robust to environmental noise, handles errors gracefully, and has built-in arbitration and message priority. Support for additional communication protocols may be added in the future as needed – for instance, if an\u00a0application requires wireless communication.\u00a0To make the system as flexible as possible in a variety of applications, both 12V and 24V power will be supported. Modules will\u00a0also be daisy-chain-able and allow up to 1A of pass-through current. To keep connectors consistent, JST ZH series has been chosen for module connections when possible. To keep a consistent code base and shared libraries across modules, STM32 microcontrollers will be used\u00a0as the standard for module processing.<\/p>\n
Several key modules have been identified to fulfill the basic functions required in most hydroponic systems:<\/p>\n
The possibilities for module development are endless, and additional modules will be developed as they are needed.<\/p>\n
![\"Deep](\"http:\/\/protofusion.org\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Hydro_DWC_peppers-300x225.jpg\")
Deep Water Culture Hydroponic System<\/p><\/div>\n
Hydroponics\u00a0may be a good\u00a0solution to many of the world’s\u00a0food-related problems, but the barrier to entry is still very high for most people. HydroBot hopes to solve\u00a0that by creating an automated control system that is easy to use and flexible enough for any garden setup.<\/p>\n
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Sources:<\/p>\n
HydroBot is a modular\u00a0control system for automating hydroponic gardens. This system is designed with three objectives\u00a0in mind.\u00a0First, it\u00a0will facilitate optimal growing techniques by using scheduling and feedback control loops to maintain state and adapt to changing conditions. Second,\u00a0it will\u00a0simplify controls…<\/span><\/p>\n