Vertical Farming Design Challenge | Challenger List

patkelly — Tue, 04 Aug 2015 15:11:04 GMT

Current Revision posted to Documents by patkelly on 8/4/2015 3:11:04 PM

Many thanks to all who applied for the Vertical Farming Design Challenge - there were a great many imaginative ideas on how best to build an energy efficient, small footprint, vertical "layered" farm that is a true IoT solution. .

However, we could only have 15 sponsored competitors - and in this instance we've selected:

Ognyan Chikov
Bulgaria

Project: Automated Farm
Synopsis:

My technical solution is made of few elements that in collaboration with each other will lead to build a complete system for operating vertical farming. The Solution is not only including software and hardware for automation and monitoring, but a new type of growing surface that will be used rather than overall footprint of the build.

Read Ogynyan's project blogs (tag automated_farm)

Keith Earns
United States

Project: Project EDEN
Synopsis:

EDEN uses aeroponic nutrient misting systems to grow indoors, without the need for soil. All self- contained, so no runoff. Vertical farming allows use of lateral space. With fresh produce less can be imported and thrown into the trash. Photosynthetically Active LED spectrum, CO2/pH automation, and humidity control will be active to ensure plants grow in near- optimal conditions.

Read Keith's project blogs (tag project_EDEN)

John Henderson
United States

Project: Ambient Growth
Synopsis:

The prototype shall incorporate a small scale environmental control module that shall be capable of modulating the ambient growth temperature of the plant growing area such that the plants will successfully grow. Furthermore, the prototype shall utilize LEDs as grow lights such that the grow period can be extended significantly to optimize growth of the plants. It is also possible that a high voltage generator and grid lattice may be incorporated in the grow chamber to provide for ionization and additional plant growth stimulation.

Read John's project blogs (tag ambient_growth)

Calla Klafas
Australia

Project: Aquaponic Salad Garden
Synopsis:

This project aims to develop a design of a small form factor vertical garden that is setup as an easy picking shelf for fresh ingredients for the kitchen of an urban apartment in Sydney.

Read Calla's project blogs (tag aquaponic_salad_garden)

Erik Lau
United States

Project: The Plant
Synopsis:

The proposed automation system will include methods to regulate pH temperature, water level, power usage, and feed for the fish. We will be able to regulate the system, either through the internet web page or on site computer connection.

Read Erik's project blogs (tag the_plant)

Jose Marques
Portugal

Project: Modular Farm
Synopsis:

My goal is to develop a simple modular automated system to support indoor plant growing of fruits and vegetables. Simple means anyone with a minimum technological or botanic background should be able to install and operate it. Because it is fully automated, the human factor is minimized and we make sure the plants will have what they need when they need it. The modular approach is very important for scalability. In this way the system will be flexible enough to be used either as a domestic growing system or as an industrial production facility.

Read Jose's project blogs (tag modular_farm)

James O'Donnell
United States

Project: Vertical Hyperponic Farm
Synopsis:

To demonstrate a vertical hydroponic farm, I will create a scale version that will demonstrate many of the required features. This will consist of four sections: water treatment, germination, seedling/microgreens, and nft channels. I will focus on measuring energy, water, nutrient, and other material use while controlling the nutrient solution, temperature, and lighting.

Read James' project blogs (tag vertical_hydroponic_farm)

Kowshik Patel
India

Project: Cylindrical Farm
Synopsis:

Combining a cylindrical bottom for greater surface area, mystifying nozzle and automation controls. This build will use IoT applications to help increase biomass production in India.

Read Kowshik's project blogs (tag cylindrical_farm)

Michael Ratcliffe
United Kingdom

Project: Adapted Greenhouse
Synopsis:

This project will adapt the challenge of connectivity and power efficiency to an already established greenhouse.

Read Michael's project blogs (tag handheld_sensor)

Rick Reynolds
United States

Project:Vertically Oriented Modular System
Synopsis:

My proposal consists of the design and implementation of a modular hydroponics based, vertically stackable, growing unit and wireless control and monitoring system. The concept of smaller stackable units will allow for small, home-based, installations as well as the ability for unlimited expansion to fully commercial installations. My proposal for this challenge is to build one complete stackable growing unit, a localized wireless control module and a remote wireless master control and monitoring module.

Read Rick's project blogs (tag modular_hydroponics)

Clem Martins
United States

Project: Hydroponics Using Water Bottles & Control
Synopsis:

This build will be using recyclable materials like waterbottles and egg cartons to grow leafy vegitables. It will also document daily progress of this hydroponic, closed system using grpahs and pictures published on the cloud.

Read Clem's project blogs (tag hydroponic_water_bottles)

Ajit Singh
India

Project: New Delhi Vertical Farm
Synopsis:

We are building a fully automated, low energy footprint, indoor vertical farm in New Delhi, India. Natural environment in Delhi is characterized by extreme temperatures not conducive for traditional techniques employed in vertical farming - hydroponics and aquaponics. The space we have at our disposal is 1,000 sqaure feet. The space will have artificial smart lighting and air conditioning - through water based coolers, misters, foggers and exhaust fans.

Read Ajit's project blogs (tag new_delhi_farm)

Shane Sissons
United Kingdom

Project: Ferris Farm
Synopsis:

This project will use a motorized system which will provide light, water, food and air movement. The mechanical design will include a rotating platform with an integrated feeding system.

Read Shane's project blogs (tag mechanical_farm)

Joshua Tsai
United States

Project: Solar Farm
Synopsis:

This project integrates solar power technology into a sensor-rich, fully automated hydroponic vertical farming application.

Read Joshua's project blogs (tag solar_farm)

Srinivasan Kanni Udaiyar
India

Project:Simple IoT Based Plant, Soil and Water Management System
Synopsis:

Each of the plant species (vegetable,fruit,herb) chosen will be arrayed up on a wall mountable tray / container(eco-friendly) with soil and necessary manure.The material chosen for the tray/container will be eco friendly or reusable.The supporting material will contain the plant seed, soil and manure.The containers will be mounted on a pipe in order to support DRIP IRRIGATION(efficient water utilisation).Nutrients will be passed on along with the drip irrigation.

Read Srinivasan's project blogs (tag simple_iot)