A gadget-based information management system for environmental measurement and control in greenhouses

Handheld information devices equipping wireless LAN that include PDAs, pocket game machines, smart phones etc. are called a gadget. A low-cost and high-performance information management system was proposed for greenhouse crop production using a gadget without PC. A ubiquitous environmental control system (UECS) that is a kind of decentralized autonomous measurement and control systems is introduced into Japanese greenhouses. A low-cost MPU boards are embedded in each greenhouse device and connected to the greenhouse LAN for communicating among the others by the standardized digital data. The greenhouse device with embedding the MPU board is called a node. Each node has web (HTTP) interface and uses UECS-CCM (Common Corresponding Message) protocol that mainly exchanges broadcast packets by UDP/IP and XML. Two prototype applications for iOS gadget were tested and discussed. The results of the prototyping showed the possibility of a portable and powerful information management system using gadgets. It is concluded that the grower can perform all production management of the greenhouse with only one gadget. The prototype applications will be improved based on the results of the tests. To evaluate the usefulness, the system will be tested in the muskmelon production greenhouses in Shizuoka prefecture.