A Smart Sensor Platform for Greenhouse Applications

Abstract

A platform for a flexible, smart sensing system using available hardware components for monitoring the operation of a greenhouse is presented. The smart sensor is based on a ZigBee MCU embedded system with multiple connectivity options to facilitate digital or analogue sensors as well as the necessary peripherals for energy management and programming/debugging. A number of physical parameters may be simultaneously monitored by each node, such as temperature, relative humidity, CO2, light intensity, soil pH / moisture through appropriate sensors. Basic functions, such as sensor differential detection and measurement consistency may be performed at the smart sensor. A central node, also acting as the Zigbee network coordinator will concentrate the various measurements through the wireless network, act as a local display and also forward the information to a back-end. The back-end will provide proper measurement visualization (including history) through any web-enabled device, as well as services such as alert notification in hazardous situations (e.g. flood / heating failure).