Applications and Implications¶
Assignment¶
Propose a final project masterpiece that integrates the range of units covered, answering:
What will it do?¶
The problem that my project wants to solve is that of taking care of the plants in a house. The device is a pot that has a water tank inside, through sensors and actuators the pot automatically manages the water from the tank to the plant when it needs it
Who’s done what beforehand?¶
I started looking online for pots that automatically watered the plant, I only found pots with analog systems that watered the plant “automatically”
Then I kept looking on amazon and aliexpress for automatic watering devices that would do the same thing as my pot. The closest thing I found was an automatic drip irrigation system, but it was not possible to take into account the humidity of the soil to know if it was necessary to water more or not.
I also found more expensive devices like this tank to water several plantsbut only the amount of water and the time between each time the plant is watered is programmable.
Similar projects in the history of the fabacademy¶
Then I kept looking for similar pots in this link that compiles various projects on agriculture. Within this list there were many projects on devices designed for plant growth, hydroponics and other projects that fully monitored a plant, but there was a little bit that reduced everything to a self-watering pot.
What will you design?¶
I will design the shape of the inner pot, the electronics, sensors and actuators will be integrated in the piece. I will also design the interior tank and the support of the pot to the surface.
What materials and components will be used?¶
The main pot will be made in the first spiral by 3d printing, if I had time I would like to make this piece in clay 3d printing, the water tank will also be made in 3d printing. Inside the pot there will be a series of pieces made of methacrylate by laser cutting that will support the electronics. Finally, the base of the pot will be made of fir wood cut on the milling machine.
Where will come from?¶
Generic PLA filament for 3d printing.
3mm methacrylate from local shops.
Pine or birch lumber from local stores.
Amazon Electronic Board and Components.
How much will they cost?¶
The complete pot has a total cost of approximately 60 euros.
What parts and systems will be made?¶
The main pot, the water tank and the base of the pot will be manufactured. The electronic board and its supports for the main part will also be manufactured. Sensors (humidity and water level sensors) and actuators (water pump) will not be manufactured.
What processes will be used?¶
3d printing: main pot and water tank. Laser cut: Internal supports for electronics to the pot and engraving of the base. Milling machine: Assembly base and electronic board.
What questions need to be answered?¶
Do the programming of the inputs make the outputs work correctly? With the set of sensors and actuators, will the pot be able to take care of a real plant without it dying? Is this pot useful? Would I like to have one in my own house to take care of my plants?
How will it be evaluated?¶
The evaluation will be by spirals, starting with the correct functioning of the sensors and actuators, will continue with checking if these are sufficient to perform the function of the pot (automatically water a plant) and will end by evaluating the pot as a whole and not separately.
What materials and components will be used?¶
Here is the BOM of materials needed to craft a Smartpot unit
Level sensor board and LED
| Component | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Attiny1614 | 1 |
| 2-pin female connector | 2 |
| 3-pin female connector | 1 |
| 3-pin male connector | 2 |
| 4-pin male connector | 2 |
| 6-pin male connector | 2 |
| Neopixel LED | 1 |
| R 1K | 1 |
| Capacitor 1uF | 1 |
| R 0K | 1 |
| Level sensor | 2 |
Humidity sensor board and pump
| Component | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Attiny1614 | 1 |
| 4-pin female connector | 2 |
| 3-pin female connector | 1 |
| 3-pin male connector | 2 |
| 6-pin male connector | 2 |
| Driver Allegro | 1 |
| Capacitor 1uF | 2 |
| Capacitor 10uF | 1 |
| Regulator lm2940 | 1 |
| R 0K | 5 |
| Water pump | 1 |
| Humidity sensor | 1 |
Components for the manufacture of the pot
| Component | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Wooden board 30 mm | 400x400 mm |
| MDF board 3 mm | 400x400 mm |
| PLA for 3D printing | 500 gr |
| Water pipe | 300 mm |
| 12 x Colored wires | 200 mm |
See you next week!