Cost Effective Solution for Monitoring and Controlling of Micro to Mini Scale Urban Farms Using Robotics and Image Processing

Robotics, as a versatile engineering field, offers solutions for a wide range of applications, including most vital sector like agriculture. In the current scenario society needs to became self-sustainable for own food demand. In the urban area where land and water scarcity are major concern, farming methods like hydroponics, aeroponics etc., are excellent choice but they require precise control and continuous monitoring. Robotics is an ideal solution for the same however, complexity, skill requirements and cost associated with robots make them less accessible for small farms. In current work, a prototype of cost-effective robotic system is designed and developed. Robotic prototype is tested on the small-scale hydroponic farm which monitors the plant growth. Wi-Fi enabled cameras, controllers, mechanical assemblies, image processing tools and Graphical User Interface (GUI) are integrated in this system. This robotic system can identify proper location to capture the plant images, perform image processing, calculate plant growth and send useful data to the user through GUI. The adaptability and modular design make robotic system compatible with various types of farms and facilitate future expansion. Design emphasizes on the cost-effectiveness and ease of maintenance. Current work offers a promising solution to advancement in urban farming into a more sustainable and efficient manner.