Concept

The purpose of this project was to encourage people to produce their own food regardless of their prior skills, knowledge, or time. Eve is a personal plant assistant that will notify you at the very best time in your day to tend to your plants. There were initially three parts to this system, a device that will be implanted into an area or pot of the consumers choice, a receiver unit that will process the information and be able to calculate the best time to notify the user using AI technology, and an app to display the data.

The biggest challenge in this project was regarding the neural network. Creating the network was challenging to complete as there were many psychological factors associated with increasing motivation that could not be easily be defined and used in this project. The data given to the network would then have to be solely based on if the participant followed through with tending to their plants. If they did not, more information would be needed as to why they chose not to (e.g. Notification was not given at a reasonable time, they lost interest in gardening). Unfortunately, we did not end up utilising the neural network in this project as we did not have the time, the required data or the necessary experience with AI software to be able to create this complex system.

Given the time restraints of this project and other uncontrollable circumstances effecting the outcome, we would have liked to develop this further - focusing on seamlessly integrating the system together, spending more time on user interface and experience to ideally increase motivation, and to possibly create a finished marketable product for consumers. Our current prototype uses a sensor to send data to a base unit. This send the data to the computer that would process it through the AI, However, although we finished the fuzzy system we ran out of time to integrate everything together for the showcase. The output goes to an app that easily displays data and tips to the user.

We were able to complete a fuzzy system, an App prototype, a Kickstarter style video, a website, and the physical device prototype. We will, However, keep developing Eve into the future, adding features, and making it a marketable product.

CONTEXT

The idea for this project stemmed from a need to focus on sustainable agriculture. At the peak production of this concept, farms had vastly developed to using mechanised equipment, becoming dependant on fossil fuels, as well as integrating pesticides and fertilizers into their produce. Farmers introduced these new ideas into their system without regard for future consequences (e.g. soil degradation, reduced profitability, a threat to human and animal health) (Reganold, J. 1990).

Alternative methods of agriculture have been able to avoid these major repercussions by creating a system that works within a closed environment with constant monitored conditions. Ideas such as Vertical Farming (farms that utilise vertical space within an environment – predominantly in urban environments – combined with the use of grow lights and a strict closed system), Hydroponics (closed system that diminishes the use for soil and instead utilises water and nutrient composition within the cycle to grow produce) and Aquaponics (the use of nutrient-rich fish waste to “feed” the plant roots submerged in the water) have led the way to a more sustainable future.

A demand for food will increase rapidly given the rate of population growth. Many of the problems expected to occur will cause a strain on food production and consumption. Producers will likely experience competition for their land, water and energy resources given the growth in population in relation to land area available (Godfray, H. 2013). Keeping up with this growth in population as well as being affected by unpredictable energy and oil costs, climate change and pollution creates limits on resources (water supplies, soil and land quality) that farmers rely on (Alexandratos, N. 2012).

An innovative concept has emerged from discussions about sustainable agriculture called Agroecology. Although this term can refer to many ideas such as a scientific discipline, agricultural practice, political or social movements (Wezel, A. 2011). This idea as one principal “regards farm systems as the fundamental units of study and in these systems, mineral cycles, energy transformations, biological processes and socio-economic relationships are analysed as a whole” (Altieri, M. A).

REFERENCES:

Alexandratos, N.; Bruinsma, J. World Agriculture Towards 2030/2050: The 2012 Revision; FAO, Agricultural Development Economics Division: Rome, Italy, 2012.

Altieri, M. A. (n.d.). Agroecology: The scientific basis of alternative agriculture. Berkeley, California: Division of Biological Control, University of California.

Godfray, H. C. (2013). The challenge of feeding 9–10 billion people equitably and sustainably. The Journal of Agricultural Science,152(S1), 2-8. doi:10.1017/s0021859613000774

Reganold, J. P., Papemdick, R. I., & Parr, J. F. (1990). Sustainable Agriculture. Scientific American, 262(06), 112-121.

Wezel, A. (2011). Agroecology as a Science, a Movement and a Practice. Sustainable Agriculture, 2.

How to use your Eve – a personal plant assistant.

·         You should find the following in the box.

·         An Eve v1 sensor

·         A Wireless Base Unit

Set up is easy!

All you need to do is connect your base unit to power and the internet, install the app from our website and then is it as simple as pressing the paring button on the sensor.

This will open the app where you can setup your plant.

When conditions are poor you will be notified through the app.

This will take you to a screen with information and tips about the plant.

Using Eve

Eve will tell you how your plants are doing and notify you when they need care at a time suitable for you in the app.