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Development of Vertical Indoor Farming Using an Arduino and IoT

Chapter · January 2024

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-47727-0_10

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Development of Vertical Indoor Farming
Using an Arduino and IoT

Muhammad Shafique Ashroff Md Nor, Mohd Aliff Afira Sani,

Mohd Ismail Yusof, Ashraf Rohanim Asari, Sallaudin Hassan,
and Nor Samsiah Sani

Abstract Most nations’ economies rely heavily on agriculture and farming. There
are several things that can be done now with our technology to boost production. The
increasing competition for land in Malaysia is making it harder to meet the country’s
expanding agricultural and population needs. The primary motivation for developing
this concept was the desire to raise both food production and plant nutrition. In this
report, we will discuss the concept of a vertical farming system, one way to enhance
farming, especially in urban areas where land is scarce and expensive. For large-scale
food production, farmers are turning to vertical farming, which takes place in tall
buildings. All important metrics are tracked with vertical farming. The purpose of
this investigation is to track a few factors that might influence plant development and
to limit soil moisture by limiting plant water intake. Three variables (soil moisture,
temperature, and humidity) are tracked by the system, but only soil moisture is
manipulated. When a plant requires more water than the soil can provide naturally,
irrigation is used to supply it. Since the water will be applied beneath the soil’s surface,

M. S. A. M. Nor · M. A. A. Sani (B) · M. I. Yusof · A. R. Asari · S. Hassan

Quality Engineering Research Cluster (QEREC), Universiti Kuala Lumpur Malaysian Institute of
Industrial Technology, 81750 Johor, Malaysia
e-mail: [email protected]
M. S. A. M. Nor
e-mail: [email protected]
M. I. Yusof
e-mail: [email protected]
A. R. Asari
e-mail: [email protected]
S. Hassan
e-mail: [email protected]
N. S. Sani
Center for Artificial Intelligence Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia,
Selangor, Malaysia
e-mail: [email protected]

© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024 79

A. Ismail et al. (eds.), Applied Problems Solved by Information Technology and
Software, SpringerBriefs in Applied Sciences and Technology,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-47727-0_10
80 M. S. A. M. Nor et al.

subsurface irrigation is employed. There appears to be little distinction between

indoor and outdoor cultivation techniques.

Keywords Agriculture · Vertical farming · Urban area · Irrigation control

system · Microcontroller

1 Introduction

The agricultural sector also plays a significant role in Malaysia’s economic develop-
ment. Increased agricultural product output can only be achieved by taking that extra
step. Meanwhile, technologies including the use of sensors, actuators and microcon-
trollers have proven to be widely used in various industries, such as robotics [1–3],
manufacturing [4], automotive [5], medical [6], rehabilitation [7–11], and even digital
technologies such as machine learning and artificial intelligence [12–15]. Alongside
the development of new technologies comes the opportunity to enhance agricultural
output. It has the potential to become the most ground-breaking and consequential
branch of contemporary technology. It is not surprising to employ technology in
agriculture because it can be used for everything from replacing manual labor with
powered machinery to boosting crop yields by shielding plants from pests. Many
sectors of the agricultural economy have already adopted technological solutions to
increase output, particularly on a massive scale, and so meet the needs of a rapidly
expanding global population. A tractor could be used to harvest crops instead of
cows. Farmers and agriculturalists will appreciate how much simpler and quicker
this makes harvesting.
As agriculture arrived, a large area was needed for mass production. It is also
important to have access to a reliable water supply, healthy soil, and favorable
weather, all of which have an impact on output. Space is not necessarily a concern
in rural areas, but in densely populated urban areas, it is more likely to be used for
housing. The system for enhancement is necessary to maximize output. Thus, the
concept of a vertical indoor farming system will aid in mitigating this issue. Since
these farms are constructed vertically, a lot of valuable real estate can be freed up
as a result. It is based on the idea of stacking vertically, say, four or five rows of
farming plots measuring 2 by 2 m. This will only require about 4 square meters
of floor space yet generate the same amount as 100 square meters of floor area.
This setup also features an automated planting mechanism that can run around the
clock without human intervention. This system will function similarly to traditional
outdoor farming systems in that it will offer the necessary conditions for plant growth,
including an autonomous watering system and artificial lighting.
Soil moisture sensors and temperature sensors are among the electronic compo-
nents of this project. All these sensors are for gathering data about the environment
around the facility. The soil moisture sensor is the most important of these since
it will determine how much pump power is needed to regulate the water flow. To
put it another way, if the soil moisture sensor determines that the ground is dry, the
Development of Vertical Indoor Farming Using an Arduino and IoT 81

pump will begin to run until the sensor determines that the ground is once again
saturated, at which point the pump will stop. Light from this technology can be used
for photosynthesis in the same way that natural sunlight can. Instead of a standard
incandescent bulb, compact fluorescent lamps are used (CFL). It is true that this bulb
has limited flexibility and certain requirements for optimal operation.
There needs to be a plant available to serve as a growth sample to aid in the
production of this machine. The chili plant (Capsicum annuum L.) was selected
for this use. Food manufacturers have made extensive use of chili. For this reason,
it is not just that it adds flavor to food; it has also been shown to be nutritionally
beneficial. The chili in this dish also has health benefits, like lowering cholesterol. It
is also generally accepted that chili is safe for most people to eat.

2 Methodology

To prevent harmful pollution and unaffordable food prices, urban planners and agri-
cultural leaders have long argued that cities should grow their own food to meet the
needs of a growing population. To combat the high cost of land in densely popu-
lated areas, this paper investigates urban agriculture as a potential solution. After
researching existing solutions and prototyping new ones, they came up with vertical
farming as a possible solution. The paper concludes, however, with forecasts of
the subsequent effects, benefits, and drawbacks of a vertical farm [16]. The report
found that vertical farming is sustainable in three ways: ecologically, socially, and
economically [17, 18].
Water is applied to the soil through the process of irrigation to provide sufficient
moisture for plant growth. If water is used, crop yields will increase. For crop irriga-
tion, many different techniques have been developed and put into practice [19]. The
four common types are the surface system, the sprinkler system, the drip system,
and the subsurface system. After making the call to implement irrigation to boost
agricultural productivity, the next step is typically the selection of the most appro-
priate irrigation technique to be used under actual field conditions. Various aspects
play a role in making this decision, but investments, production costs, maintenance
costs, and irrigation system efficiency are particularly important. Real field condi-
tions, including crop characteristics, water availability and quality, topology, soil
characteristics, and labor skills play a crucial role in the decision-making process
[20]. Because the water in this project should be applied directly to the soil, the
subsurface irrigation method is ideal. Since this method prevents water from flowing
into or splashing onto electrical components like lamps and wiring connections, it
is widely used. Drip irrigation is ineffective for growing ginger because of its slow
pace, even though the plant thrives in soil that is slightly damp. Including a water
tank at the base of the structure is a key feature of the design. Because sprinklers can
spray water outside of the farm box and into the surrounding area, this technique is
generally avoided. Due to the small scale of the crop design, surface irrigation is also
inappropriate.
82 M. S. A. M. Nor et al.

All the sensors that will be used in the project will be initialized at the beginning
of the process. Both the primary and secondary sensors will pick up on any dampness
in the sensor’s surroundings. When the sensor’s reading drops below 40%, a signal
is sent to pumps 1 and 2. The pump will shut off if the sensor reading rises above
40%. In this case, the lighting will be timed to be on for 12 h and off for another
12 h. DHT11 will then take readings of the relative humidity and temperature within
the systems.

3 Result and Discussion

As a result of the experimental session, the data from the system tests were collected
and recorded using the Teraterm software. The purpose of the experiment was to
track changes in the relative humidity, temperature, and soil moisture of the plant
while it was contained within the system.
As can be seen in Fig. 1, temperatures were at their lowest at night and their
highest between 12.30 and 14.30 in the afternoon. This is typical for Malaysia,
where the midday heat is typically the hottest of the day. When the sun goes down, the
temperature drops because there is no heat source. The temperature drops marginally
because of the rain that falls between 3 and 4 p.m. Since Pasir Gudang experiences
temperatures between 29 and 35 degrees Celsius from the end of October to the
middle of November, this range is suitable for outdoor activities.
It can be seen in Fig. 2 that relative humidity goes up and down as temperature
does. Humidity will typically rise or fall as the temperature does. Despite the high
numbers, a humidity of 30–50% is acceptable. This number is calculated using
specific methods. Heat index data can be accessed by interested parties.
Meanwhile, the value of soil moisture throughout the day is depicted in Fig. 3. For
sensor 1, the highest reading is 7.1 and the lowest is 7. Sensor 2 reports a range from
6.63 to 6.51 for its values. Both readings are within the range of 5.8 to 7.2, indicating

Fig. 1 Temperature versus time

Development of Vertical Indoor Farming Using an Arduino and IoT 83

Fig. 2 Humidity compared to temperature versus time

that the system’s control of soil moisture is effective. The range of 40 to 60% was
used to set the range. When the temperature is at its highest, at around 12.30, the low
is also displayed. Possibly increased ambient temperatures are to blame. Overall, the
results have been consistent, indicating that the system is operating as intended and
that the second and third goals have been met.
The collected data indicates that there is little to no comparison between indoor and
outdoor farming. Knowing this is crucial because it will affect the plant’s vitality and
development. The primary goal of this concept is to raise crop yields while simul-
taneously enhancing plant nutrition. More research by an expert party is required
because of limitations in knowledge and ability to determine the nutrient content of
the plant. The main benefit of indoor farming over outdoor farming is that it elim-
inates the threat of predatory animals. Technically, the project was a success, but
more study is required to ensure the plant thrives.

Fig. 3 Soil moisture versus time

84 M. S. A. M. Nor et al.

4 Conclusion and Recommendations

When measured against the stated goals of the project, the outcome obtained is
a resounding success. The vertical indoor farming system prototype is complete.
The proposed design is very different, but it still manages to successfully develop the
essential roles required by the system. The other goals of the project are accomplished
because the prototype functions as intended. A secondary goal is to keep tabs on the
system’s internal conditions, like the soil’s moisture, temperature, and humidity. The
use of technology allows for the measurement and monitoring of all factors. The
parameter can be monitored remotely using an Android or iOS-based smartphone or
other device with the assistance of software developed by Blynk software.
Modifications were made to the system for managing moisture levels in the
soil. To ensure the plant receives the proper amount of water, the system monitors
soil moisture and sends a signal to a nearby pump. An individual microcontroller
manages the entire system. The goals of the Vertical Indoor Farming System have
been accomplished.

Acknowledgements This research is rewarded for by a Short-Term Research Grant from the
Universiti Kuala Lumpur (STR18039). The project was conduct by the research management centre
at Universiti Kuala Lumpur, which the authors would like to thank.

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