Final Project
Welcome To My Final Project Page!!!
The Japoe Pot is a Smart Irrigation System for potted plants, designed to automate and improve plant care. It uses moisture sensors to monitor soil moisture levels and activates an automated water pump when the moisture drops below a set threshold. This system ensures efficient and consistent watering, making it ideal for homeowners, plant enthusiasts, and urban residents with limited gardening space. The Japoe Pot helps prevent both under-watering and over-watering, promoting healthier plants and simplifying plant care routines. It can be used in various settings, including homes, offices, balconies, and indoor gardens.
Japoe Pot Poster
Japoe Pot Video
What will it do?
The core concept of the project is to develop a Smart Irrigation System for potted plants. This system will utilize moisture sensors to monitor soil moisture levels continuously. When the moisture level drops below a certain threshold, an automated water pump connected to a relay module will activate, ensuring precise and efficient watering.
Who has done what beforehand?
There were several projects similar to this one that was done by people both outside and inside the fab network.
I first got this idea from a YouTube video whereby the creator uses an Arduino Uno board as his MCU and show detailed step by step process of the project.
After exploring more on this project there was a great project that was made by Mr. Pablo Pastor. This project has been a great inspiration for me and it helped me with many of the processes for my project development.
While I was exploring some ideas to decorate and modify my project on google, I came across the shark pot. So, I thought it would be very nice to have a fancy and interesting cover for the flower pot.
What will you design?
I will design the cylinder for water storage, the flower pot and the shark cover to be put above the flower pot in fusion 360 and 3D print them with PLA filament.
For the overall cover of the pot I will laser cut by adding living hinge properties.
Bill of Materials
Japoe Pot Items
| Items | Specifications | Amount | Price | Total Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XIAO Board | XIAO ESP32C3 | 1 unit | $10.00 | $10.00 |
| PLA | 1.75mm filament (3D Printing) | 1 kg | $25.00 | $25.00 |
| Plywood | 4mm, (150 x 600mm) | 1 unit | $0.60 | $0.60 |
| Resistor | 100 Ohms | 2 units | $0.003 | $0.006 |
| Resistor | 0 Ohms | 1 unit | $0.003 | $0.003 |
| Aluminum Small LED Bulbs | Base Type: B22 | 1 unit | $0.12 | $0.12 |
| LED | Orange LED | 1 unit | $0.55 | $0.55 |
| Power Supply | USB-C Power Supply | 1 unit | $3.00 | $3.00 |
| Pin Socket | (2.54mm, Straight, 2x6 Way) | 2 units | $0.35 | $0.70 |
| Relay module | Operating Voltage: 5V | 1 unit | $0.42 | $0.42 |
| Water Pump with Pipe | Operating Voltage: 3V-5V Pipe length: 1000mm Pipe Material: PVC |
1 unit | $1.20 | $1.20 |
| Others (super glue, tape, soldering tin, DuPont cables…) | - | - | - | $5.00 |
| Sum | $46.60 | |||
What parts and systems will be made?
- The water storage tank
- Tank Lid
- Flower Pot
- Shark Cover
- Overall Cover
What processes will be used?
3D Print-Additive Manufacturing (Internal Pot Design)
- I will design the cylinder for water storage, the flower pot and the shark cover to be put above the flower pot in fusion 360 and 3D print them with PLA filament.
Laser Cutting-Subtractive Manufacturing (External Pot Cover)
- I will design the cover with living hinge properties in Fusion 360 and laser cut it.
Milling (Electronics)
- I will use KiCad to design my PCB board and mill it in SRM-20.
- I will solder my components to the board.
Questions Answered
- Add water level sensor or not?
- Make an IoT mobile app or not?
- Keep the electronics attached to the flower pot or move it to the shark cover?
Added another capacitive moisuture sensor to sense water level in the tank.
I am still working on the app, so will update here once I am done!
They are attached to the flower pot but now they are totally safe from water.
What worked? What didn't?
So, for my final project I was able to print the bends for the cover with the laser cutter. However, the copper tape level sensor didn't work with the XIAO board. Thus for this, I put another moisture sensor in the water storage tank to indicate the water level through an LED.
How will it be evaluated?
To evaluate my project, I will need this spirals to be well coiled and connected!!
My first spiral would be for the moisture sensor to detect the moisture in the soil and activate the relay to pump water if the moisture drops below the required threshold.
The second spiral would be to stop pumping water when the soil moisture is equal to or greater than the required threshold.
The third spiral would be to measure water level in the water tank and indicate low water level with the glow of a red LED.
Here is my spiral development!
What are the implications?
The Smart Irrigation System can be implemented in various settings where potted plants are present, including homes, offices, balconies, and indoor gardens. It is versatile and adaptable, capable of catering to different pot sizes and plant types. The system's flexibility allows it to be seamlessly integrated into existing plant care setups, enhancing the watering process for users across different environments.