FAB ACADEMY 2011

• Week 1 Assignment
• Week 2 Assignment
• Week 3 Assignment
• Week 4 Assignment
• Week 5 Assignment
• Week 6 Assignment
• Week 7 Assignment
• Week 8 Assignment
• Week 9 Assignment
• Week 10 Assignment
• Week 11 Assignment
• Week 12 Assignment
• Week 13 Assignment
• Week 14 Assignment
• Week 15 Assignment
• Week 16 Assignment
• Week 17 Assignment
• Week 18 Assignment
• Week 19 Assignment

FINAL PROJECT 2.0

Arduino Greenhouse

CONCEPT: A laser cut pressfit acrylic greenhouse dome controlled by an Arduino. When the temperature rises above a certain (user-set) value, a convection vent opens automatically; when the temperature falls below a certain value, the vent closes. When the humidity falls below a certain value, a water valve leading to a drip irrigation hose opens; when the humidity rises above a certain value, the water valve closes.

PHYSICAL PARTS (completed tasks vs. tasks to be completed)

1. External shell: 1:12 scale (7" radius) press fit acrylic trapezium dome, laser-cut using this online trapezium dome calculator.

2. Moving parts: 1 x hinged vent,  1 x water valve, 2 x servo motors.

3. Electronics: 1 x Fab Arduino, 1 x temperature/moisture sensor, solenoid valve, servo, TIP120 transistor, AC-DC inverter power supply for servos and Arduino.

4. Sundries: 1 x plywood mounting board/component case.

CODING

1. Write Arduino code to turn input from sensors into servo motor motion.

PICTURES

Questions and answers:

1.   What will it do? The greenhouse will control its own temperature and irrigation system so that crops can be grown with minimal maintenance.

2. Who's done what beforehand? There are a couple of Arduino Greenhouse projects floating around, here and here. My approach is a bit different, in that it builds a shell for the greenhouse to make it more durable. Also, I am attempting to make it simpler in terms of function (for instance, Aubrey uses an evaporative mister for cooling, while I will just have a servo-operated convection vent.)

     

3. What materials and components will be required? See above. For a full-scale shell, 7' in radius, 308 square feet of acrylic are required; in addition, for resiliency's sake, the seams should be filled in with epoxy/rubber cement/something similar.
    

4. Where will they come from? See week 15 webpage for sourcing.
     

5. How much will it cost? Under $100 for electronics. The main cost will be the acrylic for the shell.

6. What parts and systems will be made? See above.

7. What processes will be used? Laser cutting, embedded programming.

8. What tasks need to be completed? See above.
     

9. What questions need to be answered?

     

10. What is the schedule? 1 month remains until 15 June 2012.

     

11. How will it be evaluated? Success=1:12 acrylic model of shell, functional Arduino controlling a convection vent and irrigation solenoid based on temperature/humidity sensor input.