HydroFarm
Project Details
| Competition | Other Team Members | Language(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 GIX Innovation Competition | Guanting Li, Germaine Ng, Yifei (Dewey) Fang, Hernan Herrera Polanco | Python, Django, C++ |
Competitions
GIX Innovation Competition 2021: advancing global agriculture through data-driven technology.
Evaluation Criteria:
- Problem and proposed solution are both clearly defined. Explanation addresses whether the solution is original or is a novel application of an existing product, service, or algorithm.
- Scope of the opportunity is addressed, with a focus on need, affordability of solution, and global impact.
- Solution fits the problem, and the rough cost of the solution fits the impact of the problem, considers farmer needs and perspectives, and is appropriate/feasible for target users. If applicable, model created is accurate and optimized/computationally efficient.
HydroFarm Wins 2021 GIX Innovation Competition
Microsoft U.S. Azure IoT Hack for Sustainability: Participants were asked to join Microsoft in advancing sustainability by understanding how to use technology to measure and minimize environmental impact. The hackathon specifically focused on using Azure IoT technologies that will give endless possibilities: collect real time data, capture rich information using cameras and machine learnings, create real time insights, and automated action without human intervention.
Azure IoT Hack for Sustainability
Problem Statement
- According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Urban farms supply food to about 700 million city dwellers — one-quarter of the world’s urban population
- Irrigation is responsible for 70% fresh water global consumption. 40% of that 70% is lost to the environment. One-half is reusable; the rest is lost by evaporation into the air and evapotranspiration from plants.
- In a city setting, we live in an environment where the water resources are sufficient and tend to take it for granted. In some areas, the levels of water efficiency can mean the difference between having and not having a harvest.
Expert Interview
The team met and talked with Perry Acworth; UW Farm Manager. UW Farm is a 1.5 acre student-powered urban farm & educational facility located on the University of Washington’s Seattle Campus.
Highlights from the conversation:
- Farming equipment needs to be intuitive: Can a 9 year old figure out the tool? (If not, the device may not be intuitive enough)
- Possible risks in drip irrigation: normal wear and tear, rodents and pests chewing pipes, drip valves clogged by debris.
- Soil moisture can be measured by touch and sheer experience: higher barrier for newcomers before they figure that system out.
- In low-accessibility areas, maintenance might be never done if there are no available supplies. The device should be robust enough for that.
Proposed Solution
In order to solve the water waste, we would use drip irrigation which has 99% water efficiency incorporated with smart automated irrigation system which will water the crops when needed, in hope of improve water use and increase yield production.
HydroFarm created a hardware/software solution that improves water usage efficiency, targeting its application to urban farming. The team’s solution aims to reduce water waste, lower farming costs, and increase peace of mind for farmers and growers. The system monitors soil conditions, weather, and other environmental factors to inform users of their plants’ water needs and provides a more efficient irrigation schedule. This results in lower total water usage, increased and more predictable crop yields, and a lower impact on the environment. Judges were impressed by their consideration of commercial needs, user-testing, and validation.
