ARDUINO-BASED AUTOMATED AEROPONIC SYSTEM

FOR TOMATO PRODUCTION

A Project Study
Presented to the Faculty of the College of Engineering
Laguna State Polytechnic University
Main Campus
Santa Cruz, Laguna

In Partial Fulfilment
of the Requirements for the
Degree of Bachelor of Science
in Electronics Engineering

JENDEL B. GARIBAY
MERVIN C. GESTIADA
PAULINE KHATE L. SARMIENTO

July 2022
 2

Republic of the Philippines

Laguna State Polytechnic University
Province of Laguna

VISION

The Laguna State Polytechnic University is a center of technological innovation

that promotes interdisciplinary learning, sustainable utilization of resources, collaboration

and partnership with the community and stakeholders.

MISSION

LSPU, driven by progressive leadership, is a premier institution providing

technology-mediated agriculture, fisheries and other related and emerging disciplines

significantly contributing to the growth and development of the region and nation.

QUALITY POLICY

LSPU delivers quality education through responsive instruction, distinctive

research, sustainable extension, and production services. Thus, we commit to continually

improve to meet applicable requirements to provide quality, efficient, and effective

services to the university stakeholders’ highest level of satisfaction through an excellent

management system imbued with integrity, professionalism and innovation.

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GOALS OF THE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

1. To produce engineers who can understand the impact of engineering solutions

in a global/social context, knowledgeable of contemporary issues, able to

communicate effectively and be involved in community or social projects, and

who are ethically and morally responsible.

2. To conduct innovative and creative researches that would contribute to

economic development.

3. To participate in community activities that will serve as avenues for applying

knowledge in engineering for benefit of the community.

OBJECTIVES OF THE BS ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING PROGRAM

After 3-5 years, the graduates of Electronics Engineering Program shall:

1. Provide leadership in planning, implementing, and monitoring ECE projects and

programs;

2. Occupy supervisory positions in private and public organizations; logically and

internationally;

3. Own and/or manage ECE-based business enterprises;

4. Pursue advance studies in ECE and emerging related fields; and

5. Occupy responsible positions in ECE education.

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APPROVAL SHEET

This project study entitled “ARDUINO-BASED AUTOMATED AEROPONIC

SYSTEM FOR TOMATO PRODUCTION” prepared and submitted by JENDEL B.
GARIBAY, MERVIN C. GESTIADA, and PAULINE KHATE L. SARMIENTO in
partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN
ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING is hereby recommended for approval and
acceptance.
___________________________
JONNEL K. PABICO, PECE
Thesis Adviser

Approved by the Committee on Oral Examination with the grade of _____.

____________________________________ _____________________________
CHARIZE ANGELI L. MAGDAEL, ECE JOSEPHINE A. VILLAMIN, PIE
Member Member

_______________________ _________________________________________
ELLAINE L. CHING, MA CAMILLE KHIMBERLY L. ELCANO, MAED
Member Member

_____________________________
ROMEO D. SOLITARIO JR., ME
Research Coordinator

Accepted and approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE, Major in ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING.

__________________________
JONNEL K. PABICO, PECE
Dean, College of Engineering

__________________________ ________________
RINA J. ARCIGAL, Ed. D. Date Signed
Chairperson for Research and Development
RESEARCH CONTRIBUTION NO.
 5

DEDICATION
As the great Maya Angelou once said, success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and
liking how you do it – and I did all that in the College of Engineering.
Little did I know I will enter this career path for I am not fond of working with numbers
and exercising a ton of brain power, so props to you, self. You have made it! This
program was not your first choice but it was surely a great one. You have come to love it
and conquered everything that comes with it. Special thanks to the best of people who
surrounded you for the last four years of your life.
First and foremost, to my grandparents, Manuel B. Bandillo and Simeona V. Bandillo,
who are the core of my everything. They are my guardian, strength, and a source of
wisdom and inspiration. I hope I made you proud;
To my parents, Jenny V. Garibay and Aida B. Garibay, thank you for making a lot of
efforts in bridging what we have lost in our relationship. I see all the things you have
done for me throughout the years and I am grateful for giving me the extra push, reason,
and will power I never thought will come from you to persevere and strive in finishing
my education. Your support I was seeking for the longest time means the world to me;
To my sisters, Chammy Rose, Andrea Joyce, and Clouie Grace for the moral backing
and the constant “food support” when I am grinding so hard during my stressful academic
days. You are my rock;
To my DOST-SEI scholarship and Mr. and Mrs. Maramba for the financial assistance
in my college journey, thank you so much. It means a lot to me and I appreciate how you
made my life much easier;
To my constants, Gatiders, DaBesprenz and Mga Bading ng Batisan, thank you for
always being there ready to listen and embrace when I need it the most; and
To my BSECE 4A especially Nagielyn, Reivenz, Kyla, Pat and Roi and my thesis
mates Khate and Mervin for being the greatest support system I have at school and in
life;
To our ECE professors and members of the College of Engineering in LSPU-SCC
faculty, for guiding us and giving the knowledge we need in this chosen career path;
To BTS and 2NE1 for honing me to become the badass persona through your music and
artistry. Your influence made so much of an impact to my young self so every bit and
piece of me will continuously look up on you and cheer for your future endeavors
forward;
To my special someone, let us grow together and become a better person for ourselves. I
love you!
Padayon para sa sarili at bayan, lagi at lagi!
 6

JENDEL
DEDICATION

I would like to dedicate this study to those who supported me throughout my journey

with sincere efforts and exceeding love;

First and foremost, to God Almighty, my everything, for providing all that I need not

only in financial matters but in every single aspect of my life; He who was, is, and is to

come, for being faithful to His words and His promises to me and my family from the

beginning of time, this is all His work and His glory, not mine;

To my parents, Mama and Papa, for all their concern and love for me, who gave their

strength to help me finish this study, for their never-ending prayers and hope in the Lord

alone, and for being so proud of me whatever I do for the Lord;

To my adviser, Engr. Jonnel K. Pabico, for being my adviser not only in this study but

in reality, for sharing his knowledge to me, for giving his precious time to check and

revise my thesis, for always supporting us, his beloved ECE students, for building us up

to be disciplined engineers and for being very patient with us;

To Engr. Ramon Flores, for helping us in editing our title and objectives during the

defense;

To my professors, for helping me in accomplishing this study;

To my Thesis Partners, Jendel Garibay and Pauline Khate Sarmiento, for their

overwhelming support and words of wisdom to uplift and encourage me to accomplish

our study.

To God be all the glory forever and ever!

 7

MERVIN

DEDICATION
It is with genuine gratitude and warm regard that I dedicate this work to everyone who
supported me throughout my academic journey.
First and above all else, I would like to thank our Almighty God for always being there
for us, leading us through this path and providing us with wisdom and strength to get
through it.
To my family, especially to my parents, Mr. Gerardo O. Sarmiento and Mrs. Ernida
L. Sarmiento, for all the hard works, appreciation and love that you gave ever since; it
always builds me up, you two are the best. Thank you for raising me as a strong-willed
person. I love you.
To my brother, Nixon, for the moral support, the one who always look up on me and
believes in me, thank you so much, and it means a lot;
To my aunt, uncle and nephews, Tita Jasmin, Tita Abel, Tita Recy, Tita Dolly, Tito
Randy, Aaron, ate Honey, Atong, Raven and team Alfonso, for always listening and
encouraging, also for giving me a lot of love;
To my best of friends, Ash, Tino, Mara, Margo and all the bebes, for being my
“pahinga”, you’re all my stress relievers and also my source of happiness, thank you for
always checking up on me;
To my ECE 4A, who I have been with throughout college life, I wish a successful life for
all of you;
To our ECE Professors from the Faculty of Engineering at LSPU SCC for mentoring us
and providing us with the knowledge we needed to pursue this professional path;

To my thesis mates and college buddies, Jendel B. Garibay and Mervin C. Gestiada,
for always pushing me to my capabilities and believing in me, I would not be able to do
this without you.

This is all for you; thank you for believing in me; without you, I may not be able to

complete this project. May God bless all of us!

PAULINE KHATE
 8

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The proponents would like to express their appreciation and deepest gratitude to the
following people who shared their knowledge, expertise, precious time and invaluable
support for making this study possible;
Above all, we thank the ALMIGHTY GOD, who is the source of all wisdom,
strength, and determination to finish this study;
To our very generous and loving parents who supported and willingly provided us
everything, financially and morally; Mr. and Mrs. Garibay, Mr. and Mrs. Gestiada,
and Mr. and Mrs. Sarmiento, we are very thankful to all of you;
To the Department of Science and Technology – Science Education Institute in
giving the priceless support ever possible and for believing in us to make this thesis
work;
Our sincere appreciation to Engr. Jonnel K. Pabico, PECE, our thesis adviser, for
sharing us his ideas for the improvement of the study and generously extending his
assistance for this to become a successful reality;
To Engr. Charize Angeli L. Magdael, ECT for her technical expertise as our subject
specialist, including her opinions and suggestions;
To Ms. Ellaine L. Ching, our technical editor, for patiently checking our papers for
the revision;
To Prof. Josephine A. Villamin, for contributing her knowledge and integrity to us in
the statistical analysis of this study;
To Mrs. Camille Khimberly J. Elcano, for lending her time and helping us to edit
our manuscript patiently.
To Engr. Jonnel K. Pabico, Engr. Elvin M. Magdaong, Engr. Charize Angeli
Lumidao-Magdael, Engr. Karla Charmagne Beato-Saliva, Engr. Onecho A.
Gabinete, Engr. Engelyka B. Ballara, Engr. Jonnel Alejandrino and Engr. Maribelle
Banatao-Manalansan as ECE Mentors, for the enjoyable lectures and for making the
life as an Electronics Engineering student really fun and bearable; As well as to the
Engineering department faculty members, for their help, knowledge, and encouragement,
thank you;
To our loved ones, friends, and relatives who gave us inspiration and positive outlook
in coping up with our lives; To Mr. and Ms. Sarmiento for letting our prototype be
installed on their garden, we are more than grateful.

The success of this project is all for you. Padayon!

J.B.G.
M.C.G
P.K.L.S
 9

ABSTRACT

Land degradation, turning of lands into industrial spaces, and land-based farming have

become issues of concern because there are production risks and losses in the agriculture

sector. With these issues rising up, focus on alternative modes of cultivation such as

aeroponic system is of great help for the Philippines.

This study aimed to develop an aeroponic system for tomato production with its

actuators automatically operating when the set thresholds were triggered by the sensors

until the normal environmental condition is reached.

The prototype for Arduino-based Automated Aeroponic System for Tomato

Production was designed to develop the aeroponics by controlling the environmental

condition within the roots of tomatoes. The nozzles automatically spray directly on the

roots depending on the level of transplanted tomatoes. Level 1 (1 day-2 weeks after

transplanting) sprays 3 seconds with a 5-minute interval; level 2 (2 weeks and above after

transplanting) sprays 5 seconds with a 3-minute interval. The sensors integrated are

DHT11 for temperature and humidity, oxygen sensor, and float sensors for the nutrient

solution. When the condition within the roots’ environment measures beyond any of

these, 10°C to 35°C for temperature, 50% to 95% for humidity, and 20% to 21% for

oxygen, the two ventilating fans turn on until the condition is normalized. Meanwhile,

when the lower-level limit was reached in the reservoir of nutrient solution, the red LED

will turn on and the refill will start until the upper-level limit was reached making the

green LED to turn on.

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The whole system of the Arduino-based Automated Aeroponic System for Tomato

Production was determined to be an effective soil-less farming system that can alleviate

the major problems in the country regarding land use, food production and food

insecurity.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page
PRELIMINARIES
TITLE PAGE i
VISION, MISSION, QUALITY POLICY
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES iii
APPROVAL SHEET
DEDICATION v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT viii
ABSTRACT ix
TABLE OF CONTENTS x
LIST OF TABLES xiv
LIST OF FIGURES xv

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study 1

Theoretical Framework 3

Conceptual Framework 4

Objectives of the Study 6

Significance of the Study 6

Scope and Delimitation 7

Operational Definitions of Terms 8

CHAPTER 2 REVIEWS OF RELATED LITERATURE

Related Literature 11

Aeroponic System 11

Transplanting 14
 11

Automation 15

Microcontroller 16

Nutrient Solution 16

Tomato Production 18

Oxygen Sensor 20

Float Sensor 21

Pump 23

Sprinkler System 24

Ventilating Fan 27

Power Supply Unit 28

Arduino Language Programming 29

Relay 30

Temperature and Humidity Sensor 31

Related Studies 33

Aeroponic System 33

Transplanting 34

Microcontroller 36

Nutrient Solution 37

Tomato Production 39

Oxygen Sensor 41

Float Sensor 43

Pump 44

Sprinkler System 46

Ventilating Fan 48
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Relay 50

Temperature and Humidity Sensor 51

CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research Design 53

Data Gathering Procedure 54

Research Flow Diagram 54

Project Development 56

Hardware Development 56

Schematic Diagram 58

Conceptual Design 59

Supplies and Materials 62

Tools and Equipment 64

Software Development 65

Wire Diagram 67

Research Flow 67

Construction Time Frame 68

Evaluation Procedure 69

CHAPTER 4 RESULT AND DISCUSSION

Project Description 71

Physical Description 73

Resource Management 81

Project Limitation and Capabilities 81

Project Evaluations 82

Testing and Revisions 82

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Performance Testing of the Whole System 83

CHAPTER 5 SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Summary of Findings 117

Conclusions 119

Recommendations 120

BIBLIOGRAPHY

APPENDICES

A The Prototype

B Tools and Equipment

C Operation Manual

D Source Code

CURRICULUM VITAE
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LIST OF TABLES

Tabl Page
e
1 Materials and Supplies Costing 62

2 Tools and Equipment 64

3 Performance of Nozzle, Relay and Nutrient Solution Spray Pump 84

4 Performance of Temperature & Humidity Sensor, Relay and 85

Ventilating fans
5 Performance of Temperature & Humidity Sensor, Relay and 86
Ventilating fans
6 Performance of Float Switch, Relay and Nutrient Solution Refill 88
Pump
7 Overall Performance of the Device in Terms of Process Reliability 89

8 Overall Performance of the Device in Terms of Process Accuracy 94

9 Performance of Nozzle, Relay and Nutrient Solution Spray Pump 98

10 Performance of Temperature & Humidity Sensor, Relay and 100

Ventilating fans
11 Performance of Oxygen Sensor, Relay and Ventilating fans 102

12 Performance of Float Switch, Relay and Nutrient Solution Refill 104

Pump
13 Performance of Float Switch, Relay and Nutrient Solution 108
Refill Pump
14 Overall Performance of the Device in Terms of Process Accuracy 114
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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure Page
1 Research Paradigm of the Study 4
2 Research Process Flow 56
3 Block Diagram 57
4 Connection of the Microcontroller 58
5 Conceptual Design of the Prototype 59
6 Growth Chamber, Reservoir and the Refill 60
7 Control System of the Prototype 60
8 Growth Chamber and the Reservoir 61
9 DHT11 and Oxygen Sensor 62
10 System Flow Chart 66
11 Wire Diagram 67
12 Construction Time Frame 69
13 The Actual Prototype 73
14 The Reservoir and Refill of the Prototype 74
15 Control System of the Prototype 74
16 Sprinkler System of the Prototype 75
17 Arduino Nano 75
18 DHT11 76
19 16x2 Liquid Crystal Display 77
20 Water Pump 78
21 Nozzle 78
22 Buck Converter 79
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23 Ventilating Fan 80
24 Oxygen Sensor 80
25 Newly transplanted one (1) month old Tomato Plant 83
26 Six (6) week old Tomato Plant after being transplanted in the device 97
 Chapter I

INTRODUCTION

This chapter discusses the origin of the study, research objectives, and solution to be

addressed in this study. These are included in the following subsections: Background of

the Study, Theoretical Framework, Conceptual Framework, Objectives of the Study,

Significance of the Study, Scope and Limitations and Operational Definition of Terms.

Background of the Study

Land degradation in the Philippines is a serious environmental problem with long-

term implications for the sustainability of agricultural crop production. According to the

journal by Briones entitled “Environmental sustainability issues in Philippine

agriculture”, agricultural practices and economic pressures have severely degraded the

agricultural resource base, causing accelerated soil erosion, siltation of irrigation systems,

flooding, and water pollution, making the land-based farming more vulnerable to

production risks and losses. Also, based on the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of

Soils and Water Management (DA-BSWM) report “Land Degradation Assessment

2013,” fertility is dropping in rice-growing regions, particularly in lowland areas, while

soil erosion is increasing in upland agricultural areas. Land degradation was also

responsible in the study on the fast conversion of agricultural lands to residential and

other land uses, as well as rising water pollution. The United Nations Development

Program stated as well that the Philippines has 13.2 million hectares of degraded lands

affecting 33 million Filipinos. When not addressed properly, this may pose a serious
 2

threat to Filipinos that leads to food insecurity and hunger. With all these being said,

cultivation techniques and advanced practices will come its way to harness the possible

problems the country may face.

With the growing technology in agriculture, “soil-less farming” is one of the leading

breakthroughs this past decade and one of these is Aeroponics. It is defined as a

cultivation technique in which plant roots are hung in the air and are sprayed with a

nutrient solution on a regular time-set basis. Thus, in this plant-growing process there is

an absence of soil or even an aggregate medium, which lessens the use of pesticides and

fertilizers, and there would be minimal use of water. This approach has been employed in

both research and commercial crop production. This process gives more advantages in

terms of producing high quality products that does not even need soil for growing plants

and had lessened the use of water. The system has shown some promising returns in

various countries and recommended as the most efficient, useful, significant, economical

and convenient plant growing system than soil and other soil-less methods. Aeroponics

has also several advantages over traditional agriculture, including the stated, lower water

and fertilizer use and improved growth rate, plant density, and hence crop output. Its

biggest weaknesses are monitoring in terms of humidity, sunlight absorption,

temperature, carbon dioxide (CO2), oxygen (O2), water level consistency, and crop

sensitivity to irrigation system’s electrical breakdowns.

On the other hand, if this technique is supported and become a leading supplemental

mode of farming, food security and higher yield of crops will be likely ensured. The

production of available crops in the country will boom and can supply the demand of the

market making the food much accessible. Furthermore, as stated, the researcher made use
 3

of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) in this study since it has been used frequently in

various Filipino dishes and its production is in accordance with the season of planting and

the time table for research that they used. Moreover, in 2019, 2015-2019 Crops Statistics

of the Philippines, a report made by Philippine Statistics Authority stated that production

of tomato went up to 223.29 thousand metric tons or by 1.1 percent, from 220.82

thousand metric tons in 2018. In the same year, area planted for tomato dropped to 16.36

thousand hectares from the 16.49 thousand hectares in 2018. These data prove that

cultivating tomato has been a major key player in the agricultural crop production and is

something to give enough focus on.

Theoretical Framework

Aeroponics System

Aeroponics is the process of growing plants with less water and more air, resulting in

significant growth of plants, fruits, herbs, and flowers. The roots are exposed to a misty

air environment and are sprinkled with a nutrient-rich solution through spray nozzles.

Plant cloning results in abundant growth, vibrant and better-tasting produce, and

exceptionally healthy produce developed by plant and human nutrition experts. Botanists

originally devised techniques for growing plants without soil in the 1920s, when they

utilized primitive aeroponics to examine plant root structure (Barak, et al). According to

Ahmad, et al, crops are traditionally grown in soil-based open field systems. Open-field

methods have been overtaken by modern plant production systems due to seasonality,

environmental degradation, urbanization, and food security concerns. Soilless culture is a

new plant production technology that makes far more efficient use of available resources.
 4

Automated Farming

Smart farming is a concept that developed with software engineering and computer

science and evolved with the integration of computing technologies and data transfer

from agriculture, all within the context of a nearly distributed computing environment.

(Bogaardt, 2017). The use of automated farming is possible due to the use of sensors in

agriculture. A sensor is an electrotechnical device that measures physical quantities from

the environment and converts these measurements into a signal that can be read by an

instrument. Among the measurements read by sensors are the following: temperature,

humidity, light, pressure, noise levels, presence or absence of certain types of objects,

mechanical stress levels, speed, direction, and object size (Lehmann, 2012).

Conceptual Framework

The conceptual framework shows the essential knowledge and components involved

in the making of the project. This is an analytical tool that was used to get a 5-

comprehensive understanding of how the particular variables in the study connected with

each other.
 5

Frame 1 represents the input. It shows all the things that were needed to build the device.

Meaning, it consists of knowledge and skills of programming for the development and

hardware devices combined as a product to be defined after a long process of building the

project. Since it is programmable, it has the Arduino Nano (microcontroller), sensors and

actuators that can be controlled and monitored in the Liquid Crystal Display (LCD).

Talking about its software, C++ Programming Language, and the Testing Requirements

contain the elements needed to be evaluated to check the project’s reliability and

efficiency. Frame 2 offers all the list of processes required in achieving the desired

output. It showcases the conceptualization of the actual project, design of software and

hardware system, and evaluating the programming language used. Construction of the

project includes the gathering of the materials needed to use and considering the

specification of every material and the importance of the equipment. Integration of the

hardware and software system programming was needed. This frame also includes the

testing of the project in the actual location where the prototype was programmed. Also

included are the revision for the errors in the testing and evaluation for the results of the

project that was used in getting data.

Frame 3 shows the glimpse of the possible finished prototype with its design and

development of the Arduino-Based Automated Aeroponic System for Tomato Production

when achieved using the input and the process required. This output was produced using

the elements in Frame1 and Frame 2. Given the requirements as the input and considering

the elements used in the processing of the project, Arduino-Based Automated Aeroponic

System for Tomato Production project was built. After constructing, evaluating, testing,
 6

and finalizing, the project was produced. This was the project tested and evaluated in all

terms identified in the objective.

Objectives of the Study

The main objective of the study Arduino-Based Automated Aeroponic System for

Tomato Production was to develop the aeroponic farming of tomato cultivation and not

fully rely on traditional soil-based farming in Barangay Gatid, Santa Cruz, Laguna.

Specifically, the study aimed:

1. To determine the level of performance of Arduino-Based Automated Aeroponic

System for Tomato Production in terms of:

a. Reliability;

b. Accuracy;

2. To evaluate the automation time of the aeroponic system’s watering process through

checking the activation of nozzles.

Significance of the Study

This study is significant to the following:

Enthusiasts

This project will surely benefit backyard farmers or those who wanted to build an

efficient, reliable, space-saving farm who are capable of this installation.

Big farming companies

The technology in farming industry is skyrocketing especially in this time of age

where advancements are taking the lead for better crop yield and healthier farm produce.
 7

Through this study, they will have an edge in placing in the market while investing a

much cheaper way to locally produce instead of doing a lot in a soil-based farming.

Higher Institution

Once this project study became successful, the University can also be one of the

beneficiaries for its success, especially the College of Engineering of Laguna State

Polytechnic University, because the researcher came from their department. This can be

very significant for the University because it can help boost their stakeholders’ trust if

they know that this kind of studies are well-supported by their school which is very

successful in doing its main objectives.

Future Researchers

Technology-wise, this study will surely benefit also future researchers in the form of

referencing and a guide. This can be a good help for them who are looking for a project

where they could adapt its idea and use it in their study.

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

The scope of the research project Arduino-Based Smart Aeroponic System for

Tomato Production is capable to control and manipulate the nutrient solution, O 2

concentration needed of the tomato plant. The device can maintain the magnitude of

temperature and air humidity in growing chamber to keep it inside the conditions

required by the tomato plants to grow optimally. It is able to control the actuator (Nozzle,

Nutrient Solution Refill Pump, Nutrient Solution Spray Pump and Ventilating Fan.)

which supplies water and nutrients on aeroponic growing system for tomato production.
 8

However, this study also has its delimitations. The device cannot sustain the light

needed of the plants when it is not sunny. Also, the system is only programmed for

tomato plant. It can only be installed outdoor.

Operational Definitions of Terms

These are some unfamiliar words that can be encountered while reading this research.

This can help in further understanding the project study. It provides a detailed

explanation of the technical terms used.

Arduino-Based Automated Aeroponic System for Tomato Production. A device that

automatically monitors and controls the aeroponic system when the values of

temperature, humidity, oxygen concentration and nutrient solution level were triggered

beyond its thresholds.

Arduino Module. Used to write and upload computer codes to run the microcontroller of

the aeroponic system.

Arduino-Nano. A small circuit board that processes the codes used in the project that

composes the microcontroller unit.

Automated Aeroponic System. An automatic functioning of actuators which composes

the nozzles, ventilating fans and refilling system of the nutrient solution when the

programmed thresholds or values of normalcy were triggered.

DHT11. A device used in sensing high temperatures and humidity which triggers the fans

to turn on when values reached beyond the thresholds.

Float sensor. The device used to monitor the nutrient solution level in the reservoir.
 9

Growth chamber. The storage in which the roots are hung, the nozzles are placed and

where the DHT11 and Oxygen sensors are located.

Hose. A tube that carries the nutrient solution from the reservoir to the nozzles.

Humidity. The amount of moisture present in the setting in which the environment inside

the growing chamber is relatively dependent for the tomato plant to grow.

Humidity threshold. The intended value of humidity and the normal growing setting in

which the growing chamber should have in order for the tomato to thrive. It ranges from

50 to 95.

Lower-level Limit. The critical amount of nutrient solution in the reservoir. When

reached, the refilling starts and the red LED turns on.

Microcontroller. A programmed device that controls the humidity sensor, temperature

sensor, oxygen sensor and float sensors and triggers the actuators of the aeroponic

system.

Nozzle. An actuator that serves as the sprinkler system of the aeroponic system. Opens

and spraying depending on the stage level.

Oxygen level. Also is the concentration of the oxygen or the amount of oxygen present or

concentrated in the growing chamber.

Oxygen sensor. A device used to measure the oxygen concentration inside the growing

chamber.

Oxygen threshold. The amount of oxygen that the normal environmental setup for

tomato plant needs. The growing chamber should have an oxygen level ranging from

20% to 21% for it to be in its normal setup.

Power Supply. A component that supplies power to the aeroponic system to operate.
 10

Refill. The drum that serves as the refilling storage in case that the reservoir reaches its

critical point and needs a refill.

Relay. A switch that triggers the water pump to operate and let the water flow to the

nozzle in a preset timing.

Reservoir. Main storage of nutrient solution that the aeroponic system is using.

Signal Conditioning Circuit. An electronic circuit used to process the output signal

from different sensors of the aeroponic system to be suitable for the next stages of the

process.

Temperature. The hotness or coldness of the environment present in the growing

chamber. It is measured by degrees Celsius.

Temperature threshold. The amount of heat present and the normal growing setting in

which the growing chamber should possess in order for the tomato to grow. It ranges

from 10°C to 35°C.

Tomato. The plant that has been cultivated in this study.

Upper-level Limit. The maximum amount of nutrient solution that can be refilled in the

reservoir. When reached, the refilling stops and the green LED turns on.

Ventilating fan. The device used to normalize the atmosphere inside the growing

chamber when temperature, humidity and oxygen concentration undertake abnormal

conditions.
 Chapter II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

The researchers cited some information related to the project that will guide them to

understand more about their study and also these will help them in designing the

conceptual frame of the project study and proving that the device is feasible.

Related Literature

The researchers presented the related literature after thorough and in-depth search.

The discussions and principles gathered will help in familiarizing information that are

relevant and similar to the present study.

Aeroponic System

Keller published in livinggreensfarm.com last 2020 that the current state of farming

around the world where existing farmland is depleting. The challenge of an increasing

global population is being exacerbated by environmental factors such as climate change

and natural catastrophes. Areas that were formerly agriculture are now stripped of

nutrients and unusable and are changed into urban centers and residential communities as

the population continuously expands. Also, traditional farming is losing its role as a

viable industry. Aeroponics, on the other hand, tackles current agricultural concerns by

providing a new approach to grow greens and vegetables. It actually saves 98 percent of

the land. Aeroponics, by its very nature, consumes less area than traditional agricultural

methods since it employs both vertical and horizontal space. Because a contained
 12

environment minimizes the possibility of soil contamination or a cross-infection with the

environment, crops can also be safer for the customer. This means that no pesticides or

herbicides are required, resulting in a more natural product.

Riyo (2019) stated in an article that aeroponics gives farmers even more control over

the root system than hydroponics since they do not have to submerge the roots in any

liquid. Aeroponics employs a small internal microjet spray that sprays the roots with a

thin, high-pressure mist containing nutrient-rich solutions, making it "mobile." The plant

tends to develop quicker since the roots are exposed to more oxygen. The root system

also makes it easy to give the plant a variety of nutrients. Plants are also frequently hung

on top of a reservoir within a securely sealed container in a standard aeroponic

arrangement. The hanging plant roots are engulfed by a pump and sprinkler system that

generates vapors from a nutrient-rich solution and sprays it into the growing chamber.

Collars are used to support the plants when they are put into the platform's top holes.

Since aeroponics and hydroponics systems are similar and interchangeable, they are

sometimes mistaken.

However, with aeroponics, the roots do not come into touch with any material, but in

hydroponics, they do. The following are some of the advantages of using this type of

system: (1) aeroponics is known for its rapid plant development. Because their roots have

constant access to a lot of oxygen, plants develop quickly. (2) Easy system maintenance

since in aeroponics, plant producers only need to maintain the root chamber (the

container that houses the roots), which needs to be disinfected on a regular basis, and the

reservoir and irrigation lines, which need to be cleaned on a regular basis. The one major

disadvantage of any aeroponic system maintenance is the root chamber's persistent semi-
 13

moist atmosphere, which encourages bacterial development. (3) Nutrients and water

requirements are reduced. Because the rate of nutrient absorption is faster in aeroponic

plants, they require fewer nutrients and water on average, and plants normally respond to

aeroponic systems by producing more roots. (4) Mobility, because all it takes to move

plants, even in full nurseries, is to shift them from one collar to another. Also, it does not

take up a lot of space. To create an aeroponics garden, you do not need a lot of area.

Plants can be stacked one on top of the other, depending on the system. Aeroponics is a

modular system that is ideal for maximizing a little amount of space.

Lastly, it has a lot to offer in terms of education. Aeroponics may teach gardeners a

lot about plants. Having a little aeroponic system to cultivate can serve as a pet plant for

children without getting their hands dirty.

For Brandon Miller (2020), the aeroponic system is compatible with current

hydroponics, so if the aeroponics method fails, a backup source of nutrients and water is

available. When looking at this plant-growing technique, he also pointed out that there

are a few pros and cons to consider. Advantages include availability of different

approaches possible with modern aeroponics, permission to a massive amount of plant

growth, possibility of higher yields, easier replacement for new plants from old plants,

minimal maintenance requirements, mobility is available, takes only fewer resources to

produce a yield, produces healthier root systems, provides educational value to producers

and growers, clones from best plants are maximized to increase production levels, and

lastly, it provides with a valuable research tool.

The above literature stated that an aeroponic system will be developed to provide a

new approach to grow plants that are needed for survival. This kind of farming technique
 14

was included in the researchers’ study and played a fundamental role for this to

materialized.

Transplanting

As indicated by Barth (2015) when the seeds are 3 to 4 inches in height and the

overnight temperatures are constantly above 50 degrees Fahrenheit, tomatoes are ready to

be transplanted into the garden. Plant according to the optimal alignment of the moon and

other celestial bodies, using a biodynamic calendar or farmer's almanac, or simply when

you have the time.

As stated in the study by Ly (2014), when your tomato plant grows three times the

height of its pot, it is time to transfer it. Whereas if someone is switching from a 4-inch

container to a larger one, he must wait until the plant reaches 12 inches tall before

burying the stem.

In addition, when cultivating tomatoes in containers, the final container size should be

10 gallons for determinate types and 20 gallons for indeterminate types. Plant tomatoes at

least 18 to 24 inches apart if growing them in the ground for it gives more space that

provides proper air propagation. The height of tomatoes highly affects the transferring of

them for they are more developed and provide a good harvest for the planting.

The literature presented the proper cultivation of tomato transplants and it takes a lot

of precautionary measures to execute every step of the implementing the plans.

Therefore, they are related to the transplanting of tomato crops into the Arduino-Based

Automated Aeroponic System for Tomato Production. The data supports the proper way
 15

of handling and transferring the plants for it will help the soil-less plant avoid damage

and provide a good harvest.

Automation

A blog by Daniel Poor, PHD entitled “Automation's Value in the New Economy”,

says that automation is a critical enabler of digital transitions and uncertainty

management in businesses. Automation on a solid corporate platform encompasses

robotic process automation (RPA), artificial intelligence (AI), process and task discovery,

and automation demand management. While acknowledged as a cost-cutting technique,

automation provides organizations with a broader set of Board-relevant value, including

quality, risk, agility, and experience. Firms that successfully unlock the full potential of

automation discover that the ease of automation imbues the entire workforce with an

empowered, innovation attitude. Automation will be critical in the rapid new economy

for enterprises to preserve their competitive position, react to market changes, and

dominate their markets.

Also, as mentioned by Linly Ku (2021), farm automation is a type of technology that

makes farms more efficient by automating the crop or livestock production cycle. A

growing number of companies are working on robotics innovation to create drones, self-

driving tractors, robotic harvesters, automatic watering systems, and seeding robots.

Despite the fact that these technologies are relatively new, an increasing number of

traditional agriculture enterprises are incorporating farm automation into their operations.

The fundamental purpose of agricultural automation technologies is to automate routine

operations.
 16

The following pieces of literature are significant to the current project since

automation was used in farming the tomato plants. The discussions improved the

researchers understanding of automation concepts.

Microcontroller

It was mentioned by Baskys (2012) in the book Microcontrollers: A Laboratory

Manual that microcontroller contains the main computer components: processor, program

and data memories, input/ output interfaces. According to him microcontroller is

developed to control object and processes. This said device or contains different

additional components such as timers, A/D and D/A converters, voltage references, PWM

generators, serial UART and USB interfaces etc. We can easily find the microcontrollers

in most of the devices that control, measure, calculate, or display information.

As explained by Gaillard (2013) in the article “Microprocessor (MPU) or

Microcontroller (MCU)”, typical microcontroller uses on chip embedded Flash memory

where it is used to store and execute its program. Having a finite total available memory

space is the only practical limitation in using an embedded memory. Most Flash MCU

devices available on the market have a maximum of 2 Mbytes of Program memory and,

depending on the applications, this may prove to be a limiting factor.

The above literature stated that a microcontroller was developed to control objects and

processes. A microcontroller was included in the researchers’ device and played a very

important role in its functions and performance.

Nutrient Solution
 17

There is an article published in 2017 by Singh and Dunn in the Oklahoma State

University Online Extension stating that when refreshing the nutrient solution, depending

on the size of the water tank, water may need to be supplied on a regular basis to renew

and replace the plants' water use. Over time, nutrient ratios can also fluctuate out of

control, resulting in deficiencies and toxicities. With the continual addition of water and

nutritional modifications, sodium chloride (table salt), for example, will grow in

concentration, leading in toxicities. Every two weeks, the nutrient solution should be

completely replaced.

Based on a 2020 article Aeroponics & Feeding Your Plants by Cindy Quarters of

SFGate, many of the nutrients that plants require are already present in the soil, and a

general-purpose fertilizer supply those that are not. Everything must be in the nutrient

solution in aeroponics since it is the only thing the plants have, and if anything is out of

balance, the plants will eventually show it. Plants require calcium, nitrogen, magnesium,

potassium, sulfur, copper, zinc, boron, molybdenum, iron, cobalt, manganese,

phosphorus, and chlorine in addition to hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen from water and air.

All of these nutrients are usually present in adequate proportions in aeroponic nutrient

solutions.

In an article entitled Aeroponics Nutrient Solution Recipe by Eunice published at

growertoday.com, in order to cultivate various plants in aeroponics, it must be able to

provide all of the essential components for the plants to thrive. A nutrient solution is one

of the elements that will be supplied. Organic liquids, such as nitrogen, phosphorous,

potassium, and other nutrients, are used to provide nutrients to aeroponic plants. Because

they are in their purest form, these nutrients are easily absorbed by plants. As a result,
 18

nutritional absorption is made easier and quicker. Distinct phases of plants, on the other

hand, need different nutrient regimens. Primary nutrients, secondary nutrients, macro and

micronutrients should all be included in the nutritional solution. All of these nutrients

must be in the appropriate proportions to meet the needs of these various plants.

Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are the primary nutrients. Magnesium, calcium, and

sulfur are examples of secondary nutrients. However, iron, zinc, copper, boron,

molybdenum, chloride, manganese, and other minerals are among the macronutrients.

The literature stated above shows how important the nutrient solution is to the

development of this aeroponic system of farming. Varying amount of nutrient solution

will be implemented in this study.

Tomato Production

Based on Department of Agriculture’s Invest Guide for Tomato published in 2019,

tomato is considered to be one of the basic commodities in the Philippines for it can be

used for various purposes. Famously, the vegetable is an ingredient to many dishes (fresh

market tomatoes) and can also be processed into ketchups, sauces and seasoning

(processing tomatoes). Also, Vitamin C, beta-carotene, and lycopene are all abundant in

the fruit. The stem can be utilized in the production of paper. Tomatin, an antibiotic, may

be isolated from the seeds. In the treatment of diarrhea and dysentery, dried tomato pulp

combined with pectin is employed. Moreover, last 2019, the country has produced

223,294 MT of tomato in which 77.97% was sold as raw tomatoes. 15% was processed,

and the remaining percentage went to seed, feeds and waste.

 19

According to Rose (2018), tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) need heat from the

sun because it is a type of warm-weather plant, and it requires water in order to bear fruits

that will be most likely during summer and early fall. Tomatoes come in different sizes

and take varying amounts of time to mature. And the number of days for a tomato to

reach its maturity is between 45 to 70 days. The number of days it takes to harvest a ripe

tomato is usually related to its size, with smaller tomatoes requiring less time to grow

than larger tomatoes. As a result, smaller indeterminate tomato varieties can produce

tomatoes as early as seven weeks after planting and well into the fall.

As stated by Christensen (2018), tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum) plants take up more

room in the vegetable garden than greens, root vegetables, and cabbage plants. Its root

system can be as deep as 2 feet; however, the majority of the root system is located

within the first 12 inches of soil. Because the roots of tomato plants are so close to the

surface, it is critical to dig gently around them to avoid damaging the roots. That is why

you need to take good care of them because their roots can spread on the ground up to

more than 6 feet wide. Container-grown tomato plants might have smaller roots simply

because they have less space to grow. In addition, tomato plants that are grown in a

container tend to have smaller roots because of not having much room for them. And so,

to avoid these kinds of issues, enough space must be provided in order to caught diseases

and be able to produce a good harvest. Till the soil to a depth of at least 8 to 12 inches to

allow for root growth. To improve the texture and drainage of heavy soils, add compost

or manure. To enable enough room for the roots, grow tomatoes in containers that hold at

least 5 gallons of potting soil. Thus, soil, weather, and environmental conditions highly

affect the size of these plants.

 20

According to the article of American Scientific Research Journal for Engineering,

Technology, and Sciences (ASRJETS) (2017), The temperate region has conducted

research on crop water requirements in greenhouses. Water use for tomatoes has been

estimated at 0.5–0.9 m3/m2 greenhouse area per year in the Netherlands. Another study

found that tomato plant water consumption varied from 0.19 to 1.03 l/plant/day

depending on the water salinity. The ideal water need for vegetables in the Mediterranean

region is still unknown, although the pan evaporation method within the greenhouse was

employed to evaluate water consumption. The irrigation rate was increased up to 120

percent of pan evaporation, which boosted crop output but decreased total soluble solids.

The volume of irrigation water used in another region will vary depending on the season

and the size of tomato plants grown in a gutter-connected plastic greenhouse. Only 0.05

l/plant/day is required for new transplants. On sunny days, however, plants may require

up to 2.7 l/plant/day at maturity. For completely grown or nearly fully grown tomato

plants, around 1.8 liters per plant each day is sufficient.

The above-mentioned pieces of literature were relevant to the current research since

they allowed the researchers gain a better understanding of Tomato Production, and such

aspects should be taken into account while plating tomatoes and developing the project

prototype. Also, about the water consumptions of tomatoes are being discussed above.

Oxygen Sensor

The Gravity: I2C Oxygen Sensor is based on electrochemical principles and can

precisely and conveniently monitor O2 concentration in the air. This Arduino-compatible

oxygen sensor may be used in a variety of applications, including portable devices, air
 21

quality monitoring devices, and factories, mines, warehouses, and other places where air

is difficult to move.

On one side using the sample under test. The cylinder includes two electrodes

immersed in potassium hydroxide, though other aqueous electrolytes can be used. As the

oxygen diffuses through the sample it produces positively charge hydroxyl ions at the

cathode. These hydroxyl ions migrate to the anode where they are re-oxidized, generating

a current that is proportional to the oxygen concentration. Measuring this current

produces results that can be accurate in the Parts Per Million (PPM) range.

The primary purpose of electrochemical oxygen sensors is to determine the level of

oxygen in the air. They look for a chemical reaction in the sensor that produces an

electrical output that is proportional to the quantity of oxygen in the air. Because certain

electrochemical sensors generate their own analog current, they may be self-powered,

making them ideal for oxygen gas monitoring and hand-held personal safety devices that

are powered by a battery. Breathalyzers, respiration sensors, and blood glucose monitors

are just a few examples.

According to Lopez (2021) sustaining the optimum root zone environment and not

having to give up on funding is essential to ideal palant growth. In addition, roots can get

some oxygen from the water, but not as much as they can from the air. As a result, it is

critical to keep watering plants until you get some leachate 20-21% by volume is ideal,

which will flush out old, stagnant air and replace it with fresh oxygen. Moreover, the

temperature of the substrate should be considered. The oxygen concentration in the water

becomes less as the temperature in the root zone becomes greater.

 22

The works of literature above were essential to the project study of the researchers

because it tackles the usage of an oxygen sensor to detect the oxygen level in the roots

inside the root chamber. This presents that if the oxygen intake of roots is low, the sensor

will trigger the ventilating system so that it can have better oxygen circulation.

Float Sensor

It is described in the article of Automation Products Group, Inc. written by Tim Olson

(2020), that a float switch is a form of contact liquid level sensor that operates a switch

with the help of a float. When a liquid level rises or falls to a certain point, float switches

are widely employed to operate other devices such as alarms and pumps. While there are

certain mechanical float switches (like the float in a toilet tank that cuts off the incoming

water when the tank is "full"), this article will focus on electrical float switches, which

are floats used to open and close (i.e., turn off and on) electrical circuits.

As mentioned in the article “Interfacing float sensor with Arduino” by Gadgetronicx

(2020), a float sensor is utilized in applications where the level of water in a tank or

reservoir needs to be detected. An electromagnetic switch serves as the float sensor. It

works in the same way as any other switch. In this case, a magnetic reed switch is

installed in the sensor's stem. The float sensor's bulb construction will include a magnet.

When water fills a reservoir, the bulb structure with the magnet begins to move up after

the water level reaches a particular level. It moves closer to the stem, near the reed

switch. The reed switch closes due to the force of attraction from this magnet, indicating

that the water level is high.

In the posted article by Enrico Bossart (2017), it stated that float switches are easy to

use, universally applicable, and extremely reliable. It is no coincidence that float switches
 23

are still the most commonly utilized basis for level monitoring today. Float switches, in

their most basic mechanical form, have been used for generations to control water flows

in mills and fields, and they remain the most often used technology today. Because of its

low density and buoyancy, a hollow body (float) rises and falls with the increasing and

lowering level of the liquid. A mechanical float switch is achieved when this movement

is controlled by a mechanical lever, such as a simple flap control for an irrigation

channel. A float sensor was utilized in the project for identifying the level of water in the

reservoir. It is essential part of the project design; since these are the one that operate

other devices such as alarms and pumps for refilling.

Pump

In accordance to GZ Industrial Supplies Nigeria article “Different Types of Water

Pump and their Application” posted by Emiliana Chiaha (2021), a water pump is an

electromechanical machine that uses pressure to transport water from one location to

another. Modern water pumps are utilized to supply water for municipal, industrial,

agricultural, and residential purposes all over the world. Water pumps are also utilized in

sewage treatment plants to transfer wastewater. Modern water pumps are often powered

by electricity, but other power sources, such as diesel or gasoline engines, are also

employed. Solar panels may be used to power tiny pumps in some remote settings, such

as desert regions.

In the article “Types of Water Pumps for Construction” by Juan Rodriguez (2019), a

water pumps are classified into two types: centrifugal and positive displacement. Both

types are intended to continuously transport water from one location to another. A
 24

centrifugal water pump moves water into the pump and pressurizes the discharge flow

with a rotating impeller. There are various types of centrifugal water pumps, including

standard, garbage, and submersible variants. All liquids, including those with low

viscosity, can be pushed using centrifugal water pumps. These pumps have a high flow

rate and operate well with thin liquids. Then, positive displacement water pumps deliver

a constant amount of flow by mechanically contracting and expanding a flexible

diaphragm. Positive displacement pumps are utilized in a variety of sectors to handle

high-viscosity liquids and delicate solids. They are suited for applications that require

both low flow and high pressure.

Based on Chelsey Bipat (2021), pumps make it easier to carry water and other fluids,

making them extremely helpful in all types of buildings, including residential,

commercial, and industrial structures. Fire pumps, for example, offer a pressurized water

supply for firefighters and automated sprinklers, while water booster pumps transport

potable water to upper floors of tall structures and hydronic pumps are utilized in HVAC

systems that use water to give space heating and cooling. There are several pump designs,

but the majority of them can be divided into centrifugal and positive displacement pumps.

The articles above are related to the study because the pump is needed to transport

water from one container to another in order to sustain the supply of the nutrient solution

used in watering.

Sprinkler System

As said by Growers Supply, there has a wide range of greenhouse misting and

sprinkler systems to suit any size greenhouse, from a tiny nursery greenhouse to a large
 25

nursery greenhouse. Using a misting system, you may create an optimal climate that

enables healthy plants to reach their full growth potential. Misting systems atomize

pressurized liquids, such as water, into micron-sized aerosol particles that are equally

spread throughout the greenhouse environment. They also provide overhead sprinkler

systems for mature plants. All year round, the sprinkler systems create ideal, regular

conditions. It also helps to reduce plant stress, control plant diseases, and boost

germination and growth rates.

In an article published by Warid A. Warid of Encyclopedia Britannica, in order for a

vegetable farming to take place accordingly, water irrigation must be employed for

farmers to be able to mitigate drought specially in more humid farm locations. Basically,

it has been a primary requirement for a vegetable production importantly in arid and

semi-arid regions. Two types of irrigation are suited to most farming techniques and these

are surface irrigation and sprinkler irrigation. These types seemingly play a vital role in

places that have had periodic rain for five or six months or little to no rain during the rest

of the year. However, for land farming, surface irrigation has been frequently used

because most vegetable crops are grown in rows and A level site is required for it, in

which the water is transported directly across the field in open ditches at a slow, and in a

pace that is nonerosive. Pipelines can also be used to eliminate losses caused by seepage

and evaporation in areas where water is scarce. Various control systems are used to

distribute the water, so again, the furrow method of surface irrigation is frequently

employed. On the other hand, sprinkler irrigation conveys water through pipes for

distribution under pressure like a simulated rain. With this, for modern techniques like

aeroponics, this type can be used.

 26

According to Brouwer, sprinkler irrigation is a type of irrigation water application that

mimics natural rainfall. Pumping is used to transfer water through a system of pipes. The

water is then blasted into the air by sprinklers, breaking up into little water drops that fall

to the ground. The pumping system, sprinklers, and operational conditions must all be

engineered to ensure that water is applied uniformly.

As stated by Massie (2020), there are various ways to do misting cycles depending on

its growing environment. Do it carefully and cautiously the misting times by doing it

gradually over few more days, never all at once, since this could overwhelm the plant. In

addition, it is advisable to do 3 seconds ON and 5 minutes OFF for the misting. Monitor

the plant's reactions, take detailed reports, and keep track of any positive or negative

changes. Increase the OFF period for misting and see what happens. Reduce the misting

ON time and see the results. Do this every week. Look for wilting or color changes in the

roots. You could end up with 5 seconds misting and 3 minutes of no misting.

Based on Aeroponics DIY, (2020). A regular, periodic misting cycle is one approach

to supply nutrition spray to the roots of an aeroponic system. The roots are sprayed for a

specified amount of time and for a set amount of time. Every 5 minutes, spray a little mist

for three to five seconds. Depending on the stage of growth, however, this cycle can

fluctuate. This method, which might change or never change throughout the crop's life,

ensures that the roots of the plant do not dry up. The focus is on maintaining a regular

nutrient cycle to ensure that fresh aerated food is delivered to the root while keeping the

temperature low.

According to Uxcell, this misting nozzle does not use compressed air and instead uses

liquid pressure to create a thin mist, providing superb misting effect while saving energy
 27

and water. It has a strong stainless body with a stainless-steel aperture, and it's commonly

used in dust cleaning, landscaping, cooling, artificial fog, and other humidification

applications. When compared to a humidifier, the use of precision nozzle keypunch and

sophisticated production saves more than ten times the cost. The built-in stainless-steel

wafer through advanced forging process, strong durability, is 2.5 times the life of similar

nozzle. Nozzle can fully spray use the pressure of tap water. Leak-proof, self-sealing O-

ring included with each nozzle. This misting nozzle does not have a filtering device. The

mist nozzle has a diameter of .8mm and male thread 4.5mm/ 0.18”. It has a working

pressure of 3-70 kg; and has a flowrate of 10.5 – 70 ml / min.

The given pieces of literature are related to the project as a sprinkler system was used

as the nozzle to spray nutrient solution to the roots. It gave certain information and helped

the researchers to understand better how a sprinkler system is used.

Ventilating Fan

As mentioned by Greenhouse Catalog, the most critical aspect of a successful

greenhouse is ventilation. Greenhouses and their plants are vulnerable to a variety of

hazards if they are not properly ventilated. This is due to the fact that ventilation performs

four primary functions within the greenhouse. First and foremost, it aids in temperature

regulation. It also guarantees that your plants are getting plenty of fresh air to help them

photosynthesize. Furthermore, proper ventilation reduces pest infestations and promotes

crucial pollination within the greenhouse. If your plants are struggling in any of these

areas, choosing the right fans and vents for your greenhouse can assist to solve the

problem. To photosynthesize, all plants require carbon dioxide. If your greenhouse does
 28

not have adequate air movement, the plants will not be able to produce the carbon dioxide

required to make the sugars used as food. Your greenhouse should have vents to allow

fresh air to enter, but it should also have a circulation fan to keep the air flowing

throughout the greenhouse and reaching all of your plants.

According to Lacobacci (2015), for a greenhouse to work well, it has to be adequately

ventilated. A greenhouse's ventilation system distributes fresh air (CO2) to the plants,

helps to keep the temperature and humidity in check, and decreases the risk of disease.

Greenhouses are usually enclosed constructions that do not have a natural ventilation

system. Gardeners must install either a passive or motorized ventilation system in the

greenhouse to provide appropriate ventilation.

The literature discussed was related to the project as the researchers used a ventilating

system for the growth chamber for it to cool down if the highest temperature were

reached. It also gave certain information and helped the researchers to understand well

the use of power supply.

Power Supply Unit

According to the book “Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory” by Boylestad and

Nashelsky (2013), power supply circuits built using filters, rectifiers, and then voltage

regulators. Starting with an ac voltage, we obtain a steady dc voltage by rectifying the ac

voltage, then filtering to a dc level, and, finally, regulating to obtain a desired fixed dc

voltage. The regulation is usually obtained from an IC voltage regulator unit, which takes

a dc voltage and provides a somewhat lower dc voltage.

 29

According to Lai (2018) in his book “Power Electronics Handbook”, power supplies

are used in most electric equipment. Their applications cut across a wide spectrum of

product types, ranging from consumer appliances to industrial utilities, and from

handheld tools to satellite communications. He stated, a power supply is a device that

converts the output from an ac power line to a steady dc output or multiple outputs. The

ac voltage is first rectified to provide a pulsating dc and then filtered to produce a smooth

voltage. Finally, the voltage is regulated to produce a constant output level despite

variations in the ac line voltage or circuit loading.

Stated in their article “Principle and Application of DC Regulated Power Supply”,

Kynix Semiconductor (2019) discussed that almost all electronic circuits need a stable

DC power supply. When supplied by the AC power grid, it is necessary to convert the

AC power supplied by the power grid into stable DC power. After rectification and

filtering, AC becomes DC. However, due to the fluctuation of grid voltage, the DC

voltage output after rectification will also fluctuate. The voltage fluctuation of DC power

supply will cause the instability of circuit work. Therefore, a voltage stable DC power

supply is usually needed.

The literature discussed was related to the project as the researchers used a power

supply as a primary power source of the project because the system works only in DC

voltage. It also gave certain information and helped the researchers to understand well the

use of power supply.

Arduino Language Programming

 30

As believed by Alhaj (2015), in order for the Arduino-Nano board to be able to

interact with the application used in the project, a certain program (code) needs to be

uploaded to the Arduino-Nano. Arduino Company provides user friendly software which

allows writing any code for any function wanted to be performed by Arduino-Nano and

upload it to the board. This Arduino language programming is used in the study to set

command on the Arduino Nano to get the precise working system of the product which is

Home Automation System using Arduino.

Louis (2016) stated that Arduino is an open-source microcontroller which can be

easily programmed, erased and reprogrammed at any instant of time. It is also capable of

acting as a mini computer just like other microcontrollers by taking inputs and controlling

the outputs for a variety of electronics devices. Arduino uses a hardware known as the

Arduino development board and software for developing the code known as the Arduino

IDE (Integrated Development Environment). These microcontrollers can be programmed

easily using the C or C++ language in the Arduino IDE.

According to Matus (2017) in his article entitled “Arduino Programming Language”,

the Arduino language is used in vast amounts of projects. The Arduino-board is operated

using Arduino-Software, it additionally supports language libraries such as C/C++ and

Java. The software/hardware combination is catered to inventors and application

programmers and is intended to be so easy to use it also appeals to first time

programmers. Arduino has been used by students, programmers and makers alike for

Systems Design, General Purpose Applications, Hardware Communication, Software

Prototyping, and Programming Education.

 31

The above-mentioned literature is related to the project study because the prototype

used was designed with Arduino Nano that uses language programming. It gave certain

knowledge and working principles on how programming works on how to control the

system flow.

Relay

According to the article of Random Nerd Tutorials (2019) “Guide for Relay Module

with Arduino”, a relay is an electrically operated switch that can be turned on or off,

letting the current go through or not, and can be controlled with low voltages, like the 5V

provided by the Arduino pins. The relay module has two channels. This module should

be powered with 5V, which is appropriate to use with an Arduino. There are other relay

modules that are powered using 3.3V, which is ideal for ESP32, ESP8266, and other

microcontrollers.

As stated by Thonti (2017) in “Relay: Construction, Working and Types”, a relay is

classified into many types, a standard and generally used relay is made up of

electromagnets which in general used as a switch. Relay is a switch which controls open

and close circuits electromechanically. The main operation of this device is to make or

break contact with the help of a signal without any human involvement in order to switch

it on or off. It is mainly used to control a high-powered circuit using a low power signal.

Generally, a DC signal is used to control circuit which is driven by high voltage like

controlling AC home appliances with DC signals from microcontrollers.

 32

The pieces of literature above are relevant to the current project since the researchers

used relay as a power switch of the solenoid valve. The discussion helped the researchers

to understand the principles of a relay better.

Temperature and Humidity Sensor

As mentioned by Dejan (2016), DHT11 consists of a humidity sensing component, a

thermistor and an IC on the back side of the sensor. For measuring humidity, it used the

humidity sensing component which has two electrodes with moisture holding substrate

between them. So as the humidity changes, the conductivity of the substrate changes or

the resistance between these electrodes’ changes. This change in resistance is measured

and processed by the IC which makes it ready to be read by a microcontroller. The

DHT11 sensors have four pins, VCC, GND, data pin and a not connected pin which has

no usage. A pull-up resistor from 5K to 10K Ohms is required to keep the data line high

and in order to enable the communication between the sensor and the Arduino Board.

Chen et al. (2014) said that, at a fixed temperature, the moisture content of biological

materials will reach an equilibrium state with the ambient relative humidity (RH). The

basic principle is an equilibrium state between the vapour pressure in the biological

sample and ambient air. The Moisture Sorption Isotherm is a plot of equilibrium moisture

content (EMC) and equilibrium relative humidity (ERH), at a constant temperature.

Sorption equation describes the relationship between EMC, ERH, and temperature.

Therefore, the moisture content of biological sample can be measured using the ERH and

temperature at the equilibrium state, and then moisture content is calculated by an

adequate sorption equation.

 33

Sipani et al. (2017) stated in their research that there is a requirement of a smart

system which is fully automated, accurate and capable enough to monitor all the

environmental parameters with utmost possible accuracy. Experimental setup includes

the heating arrangement of DHT11 and transmission of its data using Arduino and

SIM900A GSM shield. The mobile device receives the data using Arduino. Heating

arrangement is used to heat and cool the temperature sensor to study its characteristics.

As mentioned by Kläring et. al., (2014) tomato is known for being a model fruit crop,

diverse physiological, cellular, biochemical, molecular, and genetic studies. In

greenhouse or growth chambers can this crop be developed. The time interval for growth

stage of plants at day time is between 8 to 16 hours and the essential light needed

depends on growth stage and temperature. The temperature must be between 10-35 ℃,

the relative humidity must be between 50-95%, and the CO2 concentration must be

between 200-1500 μmol mol−1. The rate of phenological development is determined by

temperature, whereas photosynthesis and biomass production are affected by the daily

light integral and CO2 concentration. At 20°C, seed to seed cultivation takes 100 days

and is influenced by temperature. Tomatoes can be grown in soil, on substrates, or in the

air without a substrate.

The works of literature above were essential to the project study of the researchers for

they used temperature and humidity sensors to detect the environmental temperature

inside the growth chamber that triggers the ventilating system if a certain temperature

was reached.

Related Studies
 34

The researchers searched for information about their variables in different past studies

like thesis and research papers that helped them and in having more background and

knowledge regarding their project.

Aeroponic System

In the review paper made by Ali Lakhiar et. al. in 2018, they have observed that as the

population increases worldwide, to meet rising food demands, humans will resort to

innovative plant growing methods. Furthermore, this review paper indicated that

aeroponics is an innovative, modern, and informative method for growing plants without

the use of soil. In comparison to other cultivation systems, the aeroponic system is the

best plant growth technology in many ways. In fact, the method is rapidly gaining

traction, acceptance, and becoming the fastest-growing area of present agriculture. It

might be used to produce vegetables in a variety of places where there are not enough

natural resources.

A comparative study of Chandra et. al. entitled “Assessment of Total Phenolic and

Flavonoid Content, Antioxidant Properties, and Yield of Aeroponically and

Conventionally Grown Leafy Vegetables and Fruit Crops (2014) examined the yields of

crops grown in soil and in aeroponic systems. They have found that on average, the

yields of plants cultivated with aeroponic technique were more than 30% higher.

According to the researchers, basil grew 19 percent, chard grew 8%, red kale grew 65

percent, parsley grew 21 percent, bell pepper grew 53 percent, cherry tomatoes grew 35

percent, cucumber grew 7%, and squash grew by an enormous 50%. In addition, total

phenolics, flavonoids, and antioxidants were examined in the produce cultivated in the
 35

research. It turns out that both aeroponic and soil-based approaches generate produce that

is nutritionally comparable.

From the study conducted by Li et. al. (Growth Responses and Root Characteristics of

Lettuce Grown in Aeroponics, Hydroponics, and Substrate Culture) in 2018, they

concluded that aeroponics is favorable to root growth with a much higher root/shoot ratio,

root length, root area, and root volume. As a result, like Hayden suggests, an aeroponic

system may be ideal for producing high-value, real root crops, particularly medicinal

plants. Clean products can be gathered in order while growing root crops in aeroponics.

However, further research is needed to determine the appropriate pressure, droplet size,

and misting interval to improve the continuous availability of nutrients and water so that

the growth of above-ground parts of plants can be optimized in aeroponics to grow crops

like lettuce and the likes.

The studies cited above stated that aeroponic system is the modern mode of farming

that answers global needs in agricultural crops needed by the growing human population.

This technique also made crop production gain a better yield. These studies help the

researchers in knowing the advantages of the aeroponic system.

Transplanting

As cited by Javanmardi and Moradiani (2017), tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum L.)

has various processes in terms of transferring it through the methods of normal plug tray,

bare root transplants with known plant density, and broadcast seeded barefoot transplants

were analyzed in peat: perlite 60:40 (v/v) or compost: field soil 1/3:2/3 (v/v) substrates

against direct seeding of tomatoes in the field. Plug transplants had the highest plant
 36

growth rate and leaf frequency before the first truss, while bare root transplants had the

earliest fruit ripening. The highest first yield came from broadcast planted bare root

transplants and direct-seeded plants. Regardless of production mode, fruit production rose

after the second harvest, reaching full potential yield in transplanted seedlings.

Transplants produced a higher total yield than direct sowing because additional harvests

were possible.

Bobinas et. al., (2013) the quality of tomato transplant relies on things such as

microclimate conditions, substrate, plant nutrition, and other factors. Whereas the

development stage of it is a key indicator of its quality. The study was conducted in a

greenhouse of the Institute of Horticulture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture

and Forestry from 2008 to 2010, to ascertain the growing stage of tomato transplants

affected their quality and yield. The transplant growth stage of tomato crop cv. 5-6

leaves, 7-8 leaves, and 9-10 leave Cunero F1. Tomato transplants with 9-10 leaves were

the longest and had the largest leaf area. Plants with 7-8 leaves had the highest SLA,

gathered the most photosynthetic pigments in their leaves, and had the largest stem to leaf

ratio. In comparison to 5-6 leaf transplants, tomatoes transplanted with older transplants

started to flower the fastest. 7-8 leaf transplants resulted in a higher total yield. 5-6 leaves

transplant yielded the lowest early output. The average tomato fruit weight was

unaffected by the stage of growth of tomato transplants.

The study has shown that the transferring of tomatoes highly affects the quality and

well-being of the crop. It was proven that through transplants, a higher yield can be

produced more than the other methods to have much more harvests. Therefore, they are

related to the transplanting of tomato crops into the Arduino-Based Automated

 37

Aeroponic System for Tomato Production. The proper way of handling and transferring

the plants will help the soil-less plant to avoid damage and provide a good harvest.

Microcontroller

According to Ojha et al. (2016) entitled study “Microcontroller Based Automatic Plant

Watering System” automatic irrigation systems are convenient, especially for those who

travel. If installed and programmed properly, automatic irrigation systems can even save

you money and help in water conservation. Dead lawn grass and plants need to be

replaced, and that can be expensive. But the savings from automatic irrigation systems

can go beyond that. Watering with a hose or oscillator wastes water. Automatic irrigation

systems can be programmed to discharge more precise amounts of water in a targeted

area, which promotes water conservation.

Based to the uploaded article from “Microcontroller Based Automatic Sprinkler

Irrigation System” by Jagdeep et al. (2015), Microcontroller based Automatic Sprinkler

System is a new concept of using intelligence power of embedded technology in the

sprinkler irrigation work where the device replaces the conventional manual work

involved in sprinkler irrigation to automatic process. The whole system provides

flexibility and accuracy in respect of time set for the operation of a sprinkler water pipe

lines. In present work the author has designed and developed an automatic sprinkler

irrigation system which is controlled and monitored by a microcontroller that includes

solenoid valves.
 38

These studies are related to “Arduino-Based Automated Aeroponic System for

Tomato Production” since both studies used microcontrollers to put automation in the

Plant Watering System. With these, a microcontroller was also used in the project.

Nutrient Solution

The study made by Dilip Nandwani in 2019 called Evaluation of Nutrient Solution on

the Growth and Yield Performance of Organic Lettuce Grown in Vertical Towers made

use of two concentrations of nutrient blend solution A (2:0:0) and B (0-1-3) that are to be

evaluated. The vertical towers were placed 0.9 meters apart. To fill the tower garden

reservoir, a 400mL beginning volume and 200mL of nutrition mix solution A and B were

added to 20 gallons of water. The nutrient blend solution was then applied to the lettuce

plants in tower 1 and 200mL was applied to the lettuce plants in tower 2 as needed during

the growth season. The development of the lettuce plants was influenced by the treatment

and variety alone, not by their combination. Lettuce types differed greatly in terms of

yield (fresh weight per gram) and dry weight. In general, the 200mL volume produced a

larger plant yield. Using a 200mL volume concentration, the fresh and dry weight of a

red salad bowl lettuce type was found to be much greater than that of all other kinds

cultivated with a 400mL amount of nutrient blend volume. According to the early

findings, the grow tower method is a feasible alternative to growing lettuce vertically on

the ground, and yield performance is best when the nutrient solution is half-concentrated

(NPK).

For Chabite et. al. (2017), when it comes to producing effective outcomes in

aeroponics, the nutrient solution is crucial. And nitrogen is the most important element in
 39

plant nutrition and the major ingredient of the nutrient solution. As a result, nutrient

solution and current nitrogen management and monitoring is critical. The results reveal

that the fresh weight and dry matter of lettuce were considerably impacted by three

means of refilling the nutrient solution and three starting pH values, as well as their

interaction. The fifth condition, where pH 6 and the manner of refilling half of the

nutritional solution interact, had the greatest fresh and dry weight values. During stage 1

(14 days after transplantation), the rate of nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N), ammonium nitrogen

(NH4-N), and gross nitrogen (GN) intake was higher, notably for the method of total

nutrient solution replacement.

According to Karol and Bowen (2016), after conducting their research, they have

known that most nutrient solutions are determined and optimized after extensive trial and

error. Precipitation formation is a concern when soluble chemicals are mixed, and this is

a particularly important thing to avoid in an aeroponics system because salt and

precipitate build-up can clog misting nozzles. The researchers knew that they would not

have time to determine the optimal nutrient solution, optimizing the grow box itself was

the priority. Consequently, they elected to use the General Hydroponics Flora Series line

of highly concentrated soluble liquid nutrients. These 3 solutions come with

recommended feed charts, and are formulated to be mixed together in various ratios for

different growing needs. They are also formatted to be completely soluble (no

precipitates) for easy use in recirculatory hydroponic systems. They only used 2 of the 3

solutions in the series-FloraGro and FloraMicro. FloraGro has a 2-16 NPK ratio and also

contains magnesium (Mg micronutrient.) FloraMicro is intended for usae with FloraGro

and was used for Trials 3 and 4. It contains a 5-0-1 NPK ratio, as well as calcium (Ca),
 40

boron (Bi, cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mol and

zinc (Zn).

The studies cited above stated that varying composition of macro and micronutrients

present in the nutrient solution are of great importance in order for aeroponic system to

produce higher yield. These studies help the researchers in knowing the advantages of the

aeroponic system.

Tomato Production

As per Jones (2013), the different development phases and light conditions determine

the appropriate microclimate for tomato production in a greenhouse. Jones (2013) and

Garca et al. (2011) characterize the five tomatoes’ phases of growth as germination and

early growth with initial leaves (between 25 and 35 days), vegetative period (20 to 25

days), flowering (20 to 30 days), early fruiting (20 to 30 days), and mature fruiting (15 to

20 days). The precise days of each stage are determined by the types used as well as other

elements like as air temperature, light, soil conditions, and nutrients. Furthermore, certain

kinds have been bred for a particular environment or may be more sun-tolerant, reducing

the time it takes to produce fruit. Most greenhouse tomato types take 65 to 100 days to

reach the mature fruiting stage (after transplanting), depending on the cultivar, maturity

level, and ripeness of the tomato. For an early variety, the expected period from planting

to marketable maturity is between 50 and 65 days, and for a late variety, between 85 and

95 days.

Rajatha et al. (2019) mentioned that tomatoes are an essential vegetable crop that is in

demand throughout the year. And it can use aeroponics which pertains to a cutting-edge
 41

method of growing plants without the use of soil and with low water and fertilizer usage

that nutrient solution is sprayed over the root zone regularly. This is the type of

technology that could help agriculture grow vertically. It is an eco-friendly approach

commonly employed in the commercial vegetable industry to provide the highest quality

and production. In addition, the nutrient solution is one of the most critical determinants

of crop productivity and quality in hydroponic and aeroponics production systems. As a

result, in soil-less agriculture, uniformity of nutrient solutions is critical for a high-quality

seed harvest. By recording plant development metrics at every 5 days interval from the

date of transplanting to 25 days after transplanting, Chikkaballapur, CPRI, Hoagland's,

Ethiopia, USDA, and Komosa were able to analyze and understand the influence of the

different nutrient combinations on tomato hybrid seed production. According to the

results, Hoagland's solution (88.07 cm) outperformed Komosa's (82.10 cm) at 25 DAT,

whereas Chikkaballapur's solution (88.07 cm) outperformed Komosa's (82.10 cm) (67.60

cm).

According to Boulard et al., (2011). In France, the effects of greenhouse production on

the environment are inadequately documented. The advantages and disadvantages of

greenhouse production in terms of the environment are not well understood. There are not

many studies that take into account the toxicity of pesticides as well as the transfer of

mass and energy. We analyzed the three primary forms of tomato production: heated,

year-round production in plastic houses or glasshouses, and seasonal products in a

polytunnel, as well as the differences between the two. Life cycle analysis was used to

examine the impact on the environment. Following the creation of a database relating the

integrality of matter and energy fluxes, analyses were carried out to determine the
 42

system's structure, production inputs, and waste products. According to the findings,

greenhouse heating has the most negative effects on the ecosystem, including

toxicological ones. Heating crops in glasshouses or under plastic, for example, had a 4.5-

fold higher environmental effect than tunnels. Pesticides used in tunnels also had a three-

to six-fold higher impact on terrestrial, aquatic, and human ecotoxicology. The data from

other temperate production zones were compared to ours.

The studies cited above are related to "Arduino-Based Automated Aeroponic System

for Tomato Production" since they have been considered the most significant factor in

soilless production by determining the root volume and water uptake requirements that

they will be needing in producing tomatoes. Moreover, it was stated that there are lots of

factors affecting planting through soil cultivation.

Oxygen Sensor

M.Vanderlaan (2021), at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, oxygen

sensors play a critical role in ensuring the safety of both personnel and visitors. Studies

have highlighted a problem in helium-air mixes with specific types of oxygen sensors,

despite the fact that most oxygen sensors exhibit precise and linear responses in

nitrogen/argon environments. The behavior of two types of oxygen sensors, orifice and

membrane, was studied in a controlled experiment. In the helium-air mixture test, the

orifice sensor showed a substantial divergence of up to 13% of the measured reading over

the real oxygen level, but the membrane sensor remained accurate to within 3% of the

actual value throughout its range.

 43

Chugh et al. (2022) mentioned that human civilizations have recurrently undergone

dramatic changes as a result of advances in science and technology. Agriculture is one of

the many industries that need to be transformed and innovated to increase productivity

and promote sustainability by replacing the use of agrochemicals with more

environmentally friendly agronomic methods. The advanced agricultural community we

see these days is a long-term increasing practice of socio-economic importance as a result

of a long-term growing practice of farmers' effectiveness and efficiency have increased as

a result of the use of sensors in the sector of agriculture. In light of this, the current

chapter looks at how electrochemical sensor technologies are exploding in the

agricultural and other industries.

Md. Azahar Ali et al. (2020) stated that soil monitoring is becoming increasingly

important in the management of smart farming, which has been recommended as a cost-

effective way to ensure food safety and security. Electrochemical sensing systems are

becoming more popular as a result of detecting one or more soil components effectively,

efficiently, and selectively for soil quality assessment remotely via data sharing and site-

of-location, similar to point-of-care soil health care, among other developments such as

internet of things assisted farming. This perspective is aimed to describe state-of-the-art

electrochemical sensing technology created for soil quality in a variety of circumstances.

This perspective also discusses the connected issues, possible solutions, and prospects.

The studies above discussed that oxygen sensors or electrochemical sensors are used

to determine the level of oxygen in the air. It can also detect the pH level and helium that

was present in the air. With this, the oxygen sensor was selected to be used in the project.
 44

Moreover, farmers have used oxygen sensors, resulting to having an effective and

efficient increase in the sector of agriculture.

Float Sensor

The study entitled “Hydration reminding smart bottle: IoT experimentation” by

Pankajavalli et al. (2017), describes the experimentation architecture of Internet of

Things (IoT) in real life. The goal of this project is to create water bottles that alert a

person to drink water on time in order to maintain a constant body temperature. Humans'

busy schedules and various distractions make it difficult for them to remember to drink

enough water. One of the health problems is that people do not drink enough water in

their daily lives. Here, the water float sensor may be used to sense the level of the water,

and it not only assists users in measuring the level of water, but also alerts humans when

it is time to rehydrate their bodies. This is a simple project in which a water bottle or

flask communicates with the user by passing orders as a message to drink enough water.

The IoT experiment facility describes in this paper is conceived to provide a suitable

platform for a large-scale experimentation and evaluation of IoT concept under real life

conditions.

In the study “Flood Disaster Indicator of Water Level Monitoring System”, it was

mentioned by Hassan et al. (2019) They used the three float switch sensors which are

located at the selected areas determined by the user. These sensors are used to assess

water level in either a safe or a high-risk zone, depending on the requirements. The

developed system is capable of detecting five distinct circumstances. When water is

detected, an electric pulse is generated. The action begins with the acquisition of data

from float switch sensors, which is then passed to the Arduino Uno microcontroller. The
 45

microcontroller analyzes real-time data and compares it to a preset value. The outputs are

communicated via SMS and shown on the LCD panel. The programming part for

microcontroller is using the Integrated Development Environment (IDE), which written

in Java, is based on the wiring project, an open-source programming environment.

On the study “Innovative Design of Dam Water Level Sensor” by Nirupam et al.

(2015), a simple and reliable design of a water level sensor is presented. This low-cost

design is very useful for both industrial applications as well as onsite measurements such

as dams, tanks, reservoir and so on. The proposed sensor design has been presented

basically for low-cost water level measurement applications. The sensor design utilizes

LED based torch as source and LDR as detector for experimental measurements. The

microcontroller used in the system facilitates auto-calibration of the sensor. Alarm feature

allows indication for opening of dam gate outlets. Liquid Crystal Display has been

included in the system for measured water level display. It can measure the water level up

to 225 cm or more, choosing the appropriate source. The paper describes development of

the sensor and the results of the laboratory test and onsite measurements. The ease of

installation and low cost of the design presented makes the design fit for various water

level measurements.

The studies above discussed that float sensors are effective in determining and

maintaining a sustainable water level that is suited for their project. Therefore, this sensor

was used in the project.

Pump
 46

Base on study “Design of an Automatic Water Pump on a Traditional Boat” by Ihsan

et al. (2020), traditional boat water drainage is sometimes thought to be of little value to

most fishermen. Because it is regarded a common activity without realizing it might be

bad, both in terms of time and work. One of the factors that frequently makes the use of

draining water inefficient is that boat water is still drained manually with human

interaction. As a result, fishermen are busy with clearing puddles of boats that are

impeding their job. Based on the concerns listed above, this research proposes to

automate a standard boat water drain control system. This equipment controls the level of

water in the boat as well as automatically turning on and off the water pump engine. This

equipment can automatically remove puddles that enter the fishing boat. The operating

idea of this tool is that if water falls within 5 cm of the sensor, the pump and buzzer will

activate, and if water does not fall within 5 cm of the sensor, the pump and buzzer will

shut down automatically.

According to the study made by Inoue et al. (2020), Gravity-based irrigation has much

poorer irrigation flow efficiency than one of two automatic irrigation pumps. As the size

of the instrument in the working channel rises, so does the irrigation flow. As the

irrigation pressure in the automatic irrigation pumps improved and the saline position in

gravity increased (P 0.05), the irrigation flow increased gradually. However, when the

size of the instrument in the working channel rose (P 0.05), the flow dropped. Under the

same pressure, the efficiency of irrigation flow in gravity-based irrigation is significantly

lower than that of one of two automatic irrigation pumps (P 0.05). However, there was no

significant difference in irrigation flow efficiency between the Endoflow II and the

UROMAT Endoscopic Automatic System for Irrigation. When employing various

 47

working instruments, the irrigation pressure setting has to be changed to ensure enough

irrigation flow.

The study above is related to the use of water pump in the present study which is the

Arduino-Based Automated Aeroponics System for Tomato Production that will help to

achieve the expected water flow. Water pumps are efficient as it can lessen the time and

work for human.

Sprinkler System

In accordance to the study “Aeroponics system for production of horticultural crops

“by Mangaiyarkarasi (2020), the cultivation of complete plants with their roots nourished

by an air/water nutrient fog is known as aeroponics. Aeroponics is a method of growing

plants in which the roots are suspended in the air beneath the panel and the plants are

fixed in holes in styrofoam panels. The panels form a sealed cage to limit light

penetration and enhance root growth while inhibiting algae growth. The fertilizer solution

is sprayed onto the roots in the form of a fine mist. Every 2–3 minutes, a few seconds of

misting is performed. This is enough to keep the roots moist and the nutrient solution

aerated. The solution film that sticks to the roots provides nutrients and water to the

plants.

In an article published on the Journal of Agronomy under MPDI in January 2021 by

Tunio et. al., the study “Influence of Atomization Nozzles and Spraying Intervals on

Growth, Biomass Yield, and Nutrient Uptake of Butter-Head Lettuce under Aeroponics

System” have shown indications that the interaction of droplet size and the intervals of

spraying had a p < 0.05 result meaning that there is a significant effect on overall biomass
 48

and edible yields. Before coming up with this result, the nozzles used vary depending on

its droplet size and is identified as N1 = 11.24 µm, N2 = 26.35 µm, N3 = 17.3 µm 8 and

N4 = 4.89 µm. Also, N1 or nozzles with air were employed with 30, 45 and 60-min

spraying intervals (I) denoted as N1I1, N1I2 and N1I3, respectively. Moreover, N2 and

N3 are nozzles without air and are ran at the same spraying intervals and denoted as

N2I1, N2I2 and N2I3, and N3I1, N3I2 and N3I3, respectively. Besides, the ultrasonic

nozzle (N4) misting at the same spraying intervals like other nozzles was denoted as

N4I1, N4I2 and N4I3, respectively. With these, garnering a 63.85 g plant−1, N1I1 is

considered to be yielding the highest total biomass. On the other hand, N4I3 measured

the lowest total biomass of 9.29 g plant−1. In addition, the N1I2 and N4I4 treatments had

maximum and minimum edible yields of 49.48 and 4.92 g plant−1, respectively. The use

of air nozzles had a significant (p 0.05) impact on the overall biomass production and

edible yield of butter-head lettuce, according to these data. There was a very high

significant (p ≤ 0.01) effect on overall biomass output that came only from the ultrasonic

nozzle. When misting at the three intervals, the nozzles without air had a non-significant

(p > 0.05) influence on both yield metrics.

Darko et al. (2017) stated that water is the scarcest resource, and it needs wise

consumption in the agricultural sector for sustaining agricultural expansion and

preventing environmental damage. With the success of using sprinkler irrigation to

produce new lands, future land reclamation initiatives will have a far larger role to play in

the creation of new lands. To increase on-farm productivity, it is necessary to enhance

water management practices and other production aspects to utilize less water. This study

outlines several elements that influence sprinkler irrigation uniformity and water
 49

efficiency, as well as approaches to improve these critical metrics in crop production. An

irrigation system that is effective in applying water to the root zone and ensuring that the

water is always accessible in sufficient quantities to meet the crop's water requirements is

emphasized in the research study. Despite the fact that wind is a key contributor to

sprinkler irrigation non-uniformity, it proposes practical solutions to manage irrigation

systems within acceptable bounds.

The above studies are related to the project as they use sprinklers because it provides

efficient coverage for the roots of the crops. With this, the sprinkle was selected to be

used in the project.

Ventilating Fan

As stated in the research “A fuzzy micro-climate controller for small indoor

aeroponics systems” that was conducted in the Mechatronics and Agroindustrial

Machinery Laboratory of Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia. Experiments were

carried in a custom-built pilot-scale indoor aeroponics model with 50×50×75 cm3

aeroponics chamber made of acrylic that was designed for lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and

depicted schematically. The chamber was provided with four mini-inlet fans at the side

wall, i.e., two fans each located at the root zone and top zone. Artificial light with 480,

i.e., 384 red colors and 96 blue colors of light emitting diode (LED) arrays for plant

illumination was installed on the ceiling wall of the chamber. Four and one sprayer

nozzles were installed at the root zone and top zone, respectively, for water and nutrition

supply. In this aeroponics model, two thermoelectric Peltiers were used for temperature
 50

management, i.e., both acting as cooler and heaters. To manage relative humidity inside

the aeroponics chamber, the combination of sprayers and fans acted as a humidifier

In a study made by Aguas et. al. (2019) entitled Microcontroller-Based Aeroponics

Farming Management System, they have incorporated humidity and temperature sensor

for their aeroponics’ cooling and ventilating systems. In it, the temperature of the plant

chamber is monitored using a DHT11 sensor. The output of the sensor will be read by the

microcontroller when it is triggered. The Cooling System will be turned on as the

electricity flows from the source to the pins. The temperature is expressed in degrees

Celsius. Since 0-19 is too chilly, the ventilation system will be activated. The temperature

should be between 20 and 25 degrees centigrade, and the heating and cooling systems

should be turned off. If the temperature rises over 25 degrees, the cooling system will be

activated. When it comes to ventilating system, the DHT11 sensor will supply the

temperature and humidity, which will be utilized as variables. The digital Arduino pin is

used to regulate the ventilation. The ventilation system will kick on when the temperature

within the chamber reaches the too low point, or when the humidity level inside the

chamber reaches the minimum wet mark. The system's initial state will be off. The major

components of the ventilation system are two DC fans that are linked on either side of the

chamber.

GlobeNewswire (2020) stated that the Worldwide Agricultural Ventilation Market

was valued at USD 580 million in 2019 and is predicted to grow to USD 1,210 billion by

2026, according to the report. From 2019 to 2026, the worldwide Agricultural Ventilation

Market is predicted to develop at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11%.

 51

Any indoor agricultural building where it has been put will have a steady flow of air

thanks to agricultural ventilation. By continually introducing fresh air within the building,

it helps to keep the crops and farm animals healthy. This also aids in the management of

temperature, carbon dioxide concentration, and humidity inside the building, as well as

the protection of the crops from pests and fungi. Moisture control also aids in the health

of the cow, resulting in an increase in milk supply.

The above studies are related to the project as they use ventilating system because it

provides the cooling system that the growth chamber needed. Using ventilating system on

the research provides good air flow inside the growth chamber and the roots will not

suffer in overheating. With this, the ventilating system was selected to be used in the

project.

Relay

According to Yadav (2018) in the research entitled “Controlling of Relay Using

Raspberry Pi via Internet for Home Automation”, a Relay Modules is used to control

switched devices and appliances like lighting, heating, air conditioning, pumps, motors,

dampers, elevators, door locks, door releases, and grounds irrigation equipment, all from

computer system keypads by interfacing raspberry pi model B. By integrating relay

outputs into an intrusion, fire alarm, panic, or access control system, the system creates a

nervous system for the building, allowing facility systems to sense status of doors,

windows, and occupancy to distribute services to rooms or departments as needed.

From the study “An Automated Irrigation System Using Arduino Microcontroller” by

Hassan et al. (2018) a relay module which used to control the on and off switch of the
 52

water pump, When the soil moisture sensor senses the dry soil, it will show the moisture

percentage on the LCD display, and the relay module will switch on the water pump

automatically to start the watering process, or vice versa. The automated function consists

of two main controlling hardware, which is relay module and DC watering pump. The

relay controls the electric signal that pass through the water pump. When the moisture

level is below the threshold level, Arduino sends a signal to the relay module to

automatically open the path for the electric to pass through the water pump to water the

plant. After the system detects the sufficient level of the water in the soil, the relay will

close the path for electric and thus the water pump will be stop immediately pumping the

water.

The above studies were related to the present study since all the studies were using a

relay in order to control switched devices. In the present study, the relay serves as the

relay for the pump and for the fans.

Temperature and Humidity Sensor

According to the study entitled “Automated Temperature and Humidity Control

System for Strawberry Plantation using Solar Panel” by Ramachandran et al. (2015). This

paper presents the Automated Temperature and Humidity Control System for Strawberry

Plantation using Solar Panel is aimed to facilitate the farmers or gardeners to involve in

greenhouse system and improve agriculture technology. This project is to encourage

plantation of cold climate plants under normal temperature with the control of automated

temperature and humidity control system. There are several parts which control the
 53

system such as temperature and humidity sensor is basically to control and maintain a

sustainable temperature and humidity for the growth of cold climate plants.

Based on the study of Osuntola et al. (2017), in Physics Department, University of

Lagos, Nigeria entitled “Automatic Temperature Controlled Household Electric Ceiling

Fan”. The device uses a temperature sensor; a comparator unit and relay switch to

automatically regulate the speed of the electric ceiling fan, creating breeze to enhance

convective heat transfer. The developed household electric fan automatically changes

speed in five different ascending levels with respect to the calibrated temperature range

of the environment. Depending on the temperature of the environment, the fan

automatically regulates its speed, making the device safe for sleeping, very convenient

for patients in the hospital, infants and all users.

The studies above discussed that temperature and humidity sensors are effective in

controlling and maintaining a sustainable temperature and humidity that is suited for their

project. Therefore, temperature and humidity sensor were used in the project.
 Chapter III

METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY

Research Design

According to Klein (2014), developmental research is the systematic study of design,

development, and evaluation processes with the aim of establishing an empirical basis for

the creation of instructional and non-instructional products and tools and new or

enhanced models that govern their development. In this simplest form, design and

development research is the study of the process and impact of specific design and

development efforts, or the study of the design and development processes as a whole, or

of particular process components. Such research can involve a situation in which

someone is studying the design and development work of others.

The Arduino-Based Automated Aeroponic System is developmental research since the

study was formulated with reference to other previously conducted studies. The project

was conceptualized as a product of the remarks, and conclusions from the studies that

were cited in the Chapter 2 of this paper.

Prototyping type of research is also used in the study. It is the process of building a

model of a system (Mcclendon, 2012). It's a vital aspect of the design process in general

because it allows to test ideas quickly and improves on them in a timely manner. Having

a prototype which is a draft product of your study can allow you to explore your ideas

and show the initial output or features of the overall design concept to users before

investing time and money to fully develop it. Prototyping also gathers feedback from

users while still planning and designing. With a prototype, the researcher can determine
 54

what would be the possible problem that may occur within the project. The researcher

can develop or can still improve the system until final prototype is achieved.

Data Gathering Procedure

This research is based on purposive sampling (also known as judgment, selective or

subjective sampling) which is a sampling technique in which researcher relies on his or

her own judgment when choosing members of a population to participate in the study.

Purposive sampling is a non-probability sampling method, and it occurs when elements

selected for the sample are chosen by the judgment of the researcher. It used purposive

sampling because the project was limited to backyard farmers or those who wanted to

build an efficient, reliable, space-saving farm who are capable of this installation.

Researchers often believe that they can obtain a representative sample by using sound

judgment, which can result in saving time and money.

This process helped the researchers grasp a concrete idea about the project and

completed the testing until the given time.

Research Flow Diagram

There are six stages for the accomplishment of the project study. First is the data

collection, which pertains to gathering information related to the project research.

Materials such as books, thesis, internet were utilized as the reference of the researchers

for the development of the study. The analysis of the concept and principles took place in

this phase.
 55

The conceptualization is the part of the project that will happen in the initial design

when the researcher created the draft of the project design along with its main features

and requirements. It is where the proponent developed the main purpose of the study,

details like who can be the user of the project and what must be the possible output of the

project. In this phase, the conflict or possible problems will be considered and the

proponents will think if they have the solutions for it.

Next is the prototyping and interfacing of the project. Prototyping is where all the

components and materials will be assembled together. It serves to provide specifications

for a real, working system rather than a theoretical one. Since the project has a hardware

and software part, there were things that needed to be interfaced.

Next phase is the programming. It is the process of building an executable computer

program. It serves as the mind of the project, the Arduino Nano, to control the function of

the project.

After all the parts have been connected and interfaced, the proponents will proceed to

the testing of the project. The testing required the accuracy, reliability, or usability of the

project. In this phase, the proponents will learn how it works and if they will satisfy their

objectives.

After the testing and if the desired output is reached, the last phase is to maintain and

accept the project. The maintenance of the project is important in order to prolong the life

of the project itself and ensure that it is working properly.

Figure 2 below shows the research process flow from data collection until to the

acceptance and maintenance which are mentioned above.

 56

Figure 2. Research Process Flow

Project Development

The project development is the process and the facility of planning, organizing,

coordinating and controlling the resources to accomplish specific goals. This consists of

hardware development, schematic diagram, conceptual design, supplies and materials,

tools and equipment, and software development.

Hardware Development

Hardware development is illustrated in block diagram form to easily understand the

general arrangement of the parts of a complex process. It shows the flow and design

operation of each component of the system from its inputs to the output. As shown in

figure 3 is the design summary of the system operation of Arduino-Based Automated

Aeroponic System for Tomato Production. The prototype used a 220V AC power supply
 57

that was converted by the buck converter and turned into a usable 12V. The inputs of the

system are a scheduled time and thresholds of temperature, humidity and oxygen level to

operate the prototype. The process starts when the inputs are activated which is when the

time starts running after pressing the stage button in which the transplanted tomato is

specified. Also, it simultaneously begins if the temperature, humidity, oxygen

concentration sensors reached beyond the number of definite thresholds, which were set

in the program.

Figure 3. Block Diagram of the Arduino-Based Automated Aeroponic System for Tomato
Production

Block Diagram of the Arduino-Based Smart Aeroponic System for Tomato

Production. Next process was if one of the sensor or modules was activated the process

goes to the Microcontroller Unit (MCU), where the prototype uses Arduino Nano to

control and activate the relay where the sprinkler system is connected. A 16x2 LCD

displays the aeroponic system status, such as the values of temperature, humidity and

oxygen concentration. It also shows when the operation in terms of refilling the nutrient

solution is activated through the LEDs. Then, there was the automatic system controlled

by the microcontroller unit. Once the MCU activated the system, the relay activates the
 58

pumps and starts the sprinkler system. The watering system operates for 3 seconds every

5 minutes during stage 1 while 5 seconds every 3 minutes during stage 2. Lastly, if the

monitoring and control is already finished, it then provides an output of a stable

aeroponic system for the tomato plants.

Schematic Diagram

A schematic diagram is a picture that represents the components of a process, device,

or other object using abstract, often standardized symbols and lines. Schematic diagrams

only depict the significant components of a system, though some details in the diagram

may also be exaggerated or introduced to facilitate the understanding of the system.

Figure 4. Connection of the Microcontroller

The figure 4 shows the schematic diagram of the project where the connections can be

seen. Arduino Nano acts as the main controller of the project. As shown above, analog

pins A4 and A5 of the Arduino were used for the LCD Display and Oxygen Sensor. The

digital pin 02 were used for the DHT11 (Temperature and Humidity Sensor), sense the

growth chamber’s temperature. The pin 03 were used for the water normal float switch

and the digital pin 04 is for the water low float switch. The pin 05 for the Red LED and
 59

the pin 06 are used for the Green LED, which serve as a check to see if the nutrient

solution is being refilled in the refilling chamber. Then the pin 07 are used for the Relay

on the two fans, to control the airflow inside the growth chamber if the thresholds are

being detected if low or normal. The digital pins 08 and 09 were used on the two Relay

for the water pump, the two pump are used to spray and refill. Then to pins 10 and 11 are

used in the two-push button, it serves as the stage 1 and stage 2. The whole system was

supplied by the 220V AC power supply with output 12V.

Conceptual Design

53 cm

110 cm

53 cm 36 cm 74 cm
Figure 5. Concept Design of the Prototype

Figure 5 shows the whole placement of every component on the device. It has a total

height of 110 cm. and 74 cm. in length, and 53 cm. width. The researchers placed two

water pumps for the refill and on the sprinklers so that it could deliver nutrient solution

on the nozzle and on the reservoir. The circuit box was placed on the front. The two fans
 60

are placed on both sides of the growth chamber. On the top of the growth chamber there

were the 6 tomato plants.

74 cm

105 L

46 cm

Figure 6. Growth Chamber, Reservoir and the Refill

Figure 6 shows the growth chamber, reservoir and the refill are place. The growth

chamber has a size of 74 cm x 53 cm. Then the reservoir has a size of 46 cm x 36 cm.,

and the refill has a size of 105 liters. The reservoir has the nutrient solution inside that

will be used as the nutrient of the tomato.

LCD 1 Channel
Arduino Relay
Nano

STAGE 1

STAGE 2
LED
Buck 2 Transformer
Converter channel
Relay

(a) (b)
Figure 7. Control System of the Prototype
 61

Figure 7 shows the Control System of the prototype. The first figure shows the front

view of the control system. The LCD that shows the real time reading of the temperature,

humidity and the oxygen on the growth chamber. Then two LED light that has green and

red, it was the indicator for the refill. On the middle of the LED and buttons was the

switch for the control panel. Then the two buttons that was for the stage 1 and stage 2.

Then on the second figure it shows the buck converter, 2 channel relay, 1 channel relay

and the transformer are interfaced with the microcontroller, which controls the whole

system.

(a) (b)
Figure 8. Growth Chamber and the Reservoir

The figure a show the 6 nozzles for the tomato plants and then the adjustable pipe for

the height of the sprinklers. On below was the drain. Then on the figure b shows the float

sensors for the nutrient solution. There were two float sensors, the first sensor was for the

detection of the low volume of the nutrient solution and the higher sensor was for the

detection of the nutrient solution if it was full. Then on the middle was the drain.
 62

Figure 9. DHT11 and Oxygen Sensor

The figure 9 shows the DHT11 and the oxygen sensor. It was placed inside the

growth chamber for it to detect the real time number of the temperature, humidity and the

oxygen of the growth chamber.

Supplies and Materials

The table 1 below shows the list of all the important supplies and materials of the

design project consisting of their respective quantities and specification necessary for the

construction of the prototype. These supplies and materials were intelligently chosen and

taken into consideration.

The cost of materials used to manufacture a product or provide a service is referred

to as material cost. All indirect materials, such as cleaning supplies used in the

manufacturing process, are excluded from the material cost.

Table 1. Materials and Supplies Costing

TOTAL
UNIT COST
QUANTITY UNIT DESCRIPTION COST
(PHP)
(PHP)
Microcontroller
1 Pc. Arduino Nano 600.00 600.00
Temperature and Humidity
1 Pc. 265.00 265.00
Sensor (DHT11)
1 Pc. Oxygen Sensor 2,939.00 2,939.00
2 Pcs. Float Switch 180.00 360.00
 63

1 Pc. 16x2 LCD 150.00 150.00

1 Pc. One Channel Relay Module 80.00 80.00
1 Pc. Two Channel Relay Module 100.00 100.00
2 Pcs. Diaphragm Pumps 600.00 1,200.00
2 Pcs. Ventilating Fan 250.00 500.00
Power Supplies
1 Pc. Switching Power Supply 500.00 500.00
1 Pc. Buck Converter 250.00 250.00
1 Pc. Plug AC Power Cord 100.00 100.00
Watering System
20 Meters Tube Hose 30.00 600.00
1 Pc. PVC Pipe 35.00 35.00
6 Pcs. Nozzle 50.00 300.00
1 Pc. Aluminum Angle Bar 160.00 160.00
Growing Chamber
1 150L Storage Box 650.00 650.00
1 Pc. Aluminum Insulation 20.00 20.00
6 Pcs. Net Pot 20.00 120.00
Reservoir and Refill
1 50L Storage Box 320.00 320.00
1 105L Drum 430.00 430.00
1 Pc. PVC Faucet 50.00 50.00
Chassis
6 Pcs. Steel Angle Bar 180.00 1,080.00
1 Pc. Aluminum Sheet 120.00 120.00
Miscellaneous Expenses 1000.00
Table 1 continued… Total Expenses 11,929.00

Table 1 shows the costs of different supplies and materials used in the development

and integration of “Arduino-Based Automated Aeroponics System for Tomato

Production”. The supplies and materials are grouped according to each function by which

they were used for easy analysis of the price.

The first group is the MCU, which are Arduino board, sensor, modules, relay, pump,

LCD and fan. The power supply group includes the transformer, rectifier diode and a

buck converter. The watering system group consists of the hose, pipe, aluminum angle

bar and nozzles. The growing chamber which are storage box, net pots and aluminum

insulation. The reservoir and refill include storage box, drum and PVC faucet. The
 64

chassis was used for the MCU, Power Supply group and the whole device to keep them

in place.

The researchers relied on the approximate supplies and materials that were available

in the market to achieve the desired output project.

Tools and Equipment

Table 2 presents the different tools and equipment that the researchers used in

constructing the Arduino-Based Automated Aeroponics System for Tomato Production.

It also shows the functions and uses of every tool or equipment based on how they used

in the construction of the prototype.

Table 2. Tools and Equipment

DESCRIPTION OF FUNCTIONS
MATERIALS
Meter Used to measure the size of material
Multi-tester Used for measuring voltage, current and resistance.
Laptop Used for programming applications.
Used for cutting, bending and holding the
Pliers components while soldering.
Used for soldering the wires and connections within
Soldering Iron the circuit.
Side Cutter Used for cutting wires.
Screw Driver Used for lightening and loosening.
Steel, Pipe and Wood Saw Used for cutting metals, water pipes and plywood.
Welding Machine Used to join metals.
Drill Used to make hole for mounting the device.
Wrench Used for lightening and twisting.

Tools and equipment are particularly essential in construction. They are generally

used to assemble or disassemble objects. Hand tools and power tools are two common

types of tools. All non-powered tools, such as hammers and pliers, are considered hand

tools.
 65

Software Development

Software development is a process or series of processes used in software

development. Generally, it takes the form of defined phases. It was designed to describe

how the life cycle of a piece of software works.

Software development is showed through a System Flow Chart. It is a graphical

representation of a system process through a flowchart. It’s used as a means of getting a

top-down understanding of how a process works, what steps it consists of, what events

change outcomes, and so on.

Figure 10 shows the system flowchart. Upon completing the software and hardware

requirement, the prototype can now operate. The whole system is supplied with a 220V

AC power supply. The Arduino Nano serves as the microcontroller, which controls all

the electrical components, and also used to provide 5V needed by the sensors. There are

two modes of triggering the fans; the first one is by using Oxygen Sensor, and the second

one is by using the DHT11 sensor.

The first mode of the system was detecting the temperature and humidity of the

growth chamber. Before the sprinkler system starts to operate, the LCD will ask if you

want to prime spray or proceed to the choosing of stages of misting. Then when you have

selected “prime spray”, the pump will spray mist on the roots using prime spray, but

when you selected “proceed”, you will proceed to the two options of stages. The prime

spray serves as an indicator if the spray is functioning properly and also to know if the

system starts.
 66

The system operates at two stages. At the first stage, the misting time was every 3

seconds for every 5 minutes, which is the stage 1 of the tomato plant and for the second

stage, the misting time was every 5 seconds for every 3 minutes. The stage 2 was the

flowering stage of the tomato plant. The sprinkler system operates providing the nutrient

solution needs of the tomato, and at the same time, the LCD displays the current status of

the system.

The next mode of triggering the fans was by using the oxygen sensor. In this mode,

the oxygen sensor will used as the trigger sensor for the fans to ON if the oxygen level is

below the normal level, the normal level was at 21 oxygen level. The fans will turn OFF

once the normal threshold was reached.

Figure 10. System Flow Chart

 67

Wire Diagram

Figure 11. Wire Diagram

Research Flow

Figure 11 shows the temperature sensor and humidity sensor (DHT11), and Oxygen

sensor in the growing chamber is connected to the microcontroller (Arduino Nano).

When the amount gathered by the sensors are between the intended values or the so-

called thresholds, ventilating fans will not open. If it is beyond the limit, it automatically

turns on until it reaches the desired normal condition again. In terms of the nutrient

solution reservoir, if the float sensor recorded a value that has reached the lower-level

limit (minimum value), the microcontroller will process the input and let the red LED to

turn on until it reaches the upper-level limit (maximum value). If the refill is completely

done or the upper-level limit is obtained, the green LED will turn on for a second

indicating that the water level for the nutrient solution inside the reservoir is at its
 68

desirable level. The other actuator which are the nozzles or water sprinklers is also

connected into a relay board for watering system together with its programmed time.

Moreover, since the microcontroller is connected to a display unit, the collected values

were presented in the LCD real-time.

Construction Time Frame

The figure below (Figure 12) shows the duration time frame, by which the researchers

went through starting from conceptualization of the prototype design, lay outing the

project design, gathering all the supplies and materials needed, testing the components,

working on the program of the Arduino-Based Smart Aeroponics System for Tomato

Production, building the layers of the machine, assembling the parts, to the testing and

revision until the project evaluation.

Gantt chart was used to properly show how the researchers managed their time during

the development of their project. It illustrates how the researchers spent time working on

the development of their research through a span of weeks and months. The time for

completing the design of the prototype was also carefully planned. The chart included the

tasks and activities in the corresponding number of weeks in the accomplishment of the

prototype.

Figure 12 shows the activity and time frame that was used in completing the specific

activities. Conceptualizing and gathering information were done during the first week and

second week of December. Preparation and lay-outing for the project design took place

during the whole third week of December. Meanwhile purchase and gathering of all the

supplies and materials needed were done during the last week of December up until the
 69

second week of January simultaneously. Meanwhile, testing the components of the

project and programming the project will happened in the third to fourth week of the

month of January. For February until the first week of April, assembly and installing all

the materials of the of the machine has taken place. Testing and revision of the project

begun during the second week of April until the third week of May, including the

finalization of the prototype.

Figure 12. Construction Time Frame

Evaluation Procedure

The working prototype was evaluated in terms of reliability and accuracy. Reliability

is the degree to which a measurement instrument gives the same results each time that it

was used, assuming that the underlying thing being measured does not change. It can thus

be viewed as repeatability or consistency. The type of reliability that was used in this

study was Test-retest, which is an assessment or test of a person that should give the
 70

same results whenever you apply the test again. In short, Test-retest reliability evaluates

reliability across time. Reliability was the statistical tool applied for the collected data

and information. The formula below was used to get the reliability from the expected

result and the actual result:

In terms of failure, the formula below can be used to determine reliability:

𝑟 = 𝑒−𝜆𝑡 𝑥 100 Eq. 1

Where: r (%) = reliability; t = number of samples

f
λ= Eq. 2
n

λ = failure rate; f = total failure; n = number of tests

R=
∑r Eq. 3
n

R = average reliability (%); r = individual reliability (%)

n = number of reliabilities

R of Stage 1+ R of Stage 2
General Reliability = Eq. 4
n of R

R of Stage 1 = Stage 1 Reliability; R of Stage 2 = Stage 2 Reliability

n of R = Number of R

Accuracy was also used to evaluate the study. Accuracy is about making

measurements that reflect reality but however determined, as far as possible devoid of

mistakes and taking account of bias. Accuracy was evaluated with the given formula

below:

number of trials−number of failures

Accuracy = x 100 Eq. 5
number of trials
 71

Accuracy of Stage1+ Accuracy of Stage 2

General Accuracy = Eq. 6
n of Accuracy

n of Accuracy = Number of Accuracies

 Chapter IV

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This chapter presents and discusses the design and description of the Arduino-

Based Automated Aeroponic System for Tomato Production. It presents the Project

Description, Physical description, Trials and Revisions, Results from trials conducted,

and the capabilities and limitations of the project.

Project Description

The Arduino-Based Automated Aeroponic System for Tomato Production is a project

that aimed to lessens the use of pesticides and fertilizers, and there would be minimal use

of water the small farmers by reducing their work by spraying water to the tomatoes

automatically. This technique will higher the yield of crops will be likely ensured than

traditional planting. It is also soil-less farming compared to the old way of planting that

used soil.

As the researchers have been given only a limited time. They skipped the stage 1 of

the tomato, which is the initial leaves and vegetative period. They only used the stage 2

of the tomato plant, so they can catch up on the limited time that has been given. Stage 2

was the stage of tomato where the plant was on the flowering stage.

The prototype was composed of four-components, which are the growth chamber,

control system, reservoir and the refill. The growth chamber contained the nozzles that

was used as a mist to the roots and there was a ventilating fan that will open once the

given threshold was reached. The control system was the main component that controls
 73

the whole system. There were 2 channel relays for the pumps and 1 channel relay for the

fans. Then the sprinkler system is the one responsible for spraying nutrient solution to the

tomatoes. The whole system was powered by a 220V AC-DC power supply as the power

source. It used a buck converter to maintain the 12V output, which is need by the

components, especially by the Arduino Nano. The LCD, DHT11, oxygen sensor, 2

channel relay and 1 channel relay were connected to the Arduino Nano. The DHT11 was

set to detect the real-time temperature and humidity. The Temperature threshold was only

10°C low - 35°C Highest. When the highest threshold was reached, the ventilating fan

will turn ON for the temperature drops inside the growth chamber. The fans will only

turn OFF once the temperature drops below 35°C.

The water pump will turn on first for the primary spray, it was an indicator that the

nozzles are properly working. Then you will choose either stage 1 or stage 2 spray time.

The stage 1 was set to sprinkle 5 seconds every 3 minutes. Then the stage 2 was set to

sprinkle 3 seconds every 5 minutes. Once you have chosen one of the stages. The

sprinkler system will run every day on the program you chose.

The oxygen sensor was used for the detection of oxygen concentration inside the

growth chamber. It was set to detect the real-time oxygen level; it has a threshold of 20 to

21, where the low threshold was at 20 and the normal oxygen was 21. When the oxygen

level was below the low threshold the fans will turn ON.

The LCD was displaying real-time value of the temperature, humidity and oxygen.

For the user to see the current value.

 74

Physical Description

The project name of the prototype is “Arduino-Based Automated Aeroponic System

for Tomato Production”. It provides a better yield in crop productions and high-quality

fruits; it also lessens the use of pesticide on plants. In this section, the physical

description of the prototype installed outside the house were discussed. This part

portrayed the features of the prototype.

Figure 13. The Actual Prototype Installed outside the house

Figure 13 above was the whole prototype with transplanted tomato plants. The protype

was installed in an open area at Barangay Gatid Santa Cruz, Laguna.

 75

Reservoir and Refill

(a) (b)
Figure 14. The Reservoir and Refill of the Prototype

Figure 14 shows the reservoir and the refill. On the reservoir under the growth

chamber shows the position of the float sensor. The two position of the float switch was

for the indicator if the nutrient solution was on full or low level. Then the refill was for

the nutrient solution storage if the reservoir was detecting low level of nutrient solution.

Control System

(a) (b)
Figure 15. Control System of the Prototype

Figure 15 shows the positions of the different components of the prototype, the control

system controls the whole system, the reservoir, growth chamber and the refill that were

installed outside the house.

 76

Sprinkler System

Figure 16. Sprinkler System of the Prototype

Figure 16 shows the different position of the nozzles in the growth chamber and also

the two fans on both sides. On the bottom part of the growth chamber was the DHT11

and the oxygen sensor.

Arduino Nano

Arduino nano is the main control unit in the system to control the whole system. All

the components are included in the system works according to the uploaded program into

the board.

Figure 17. Arduino Nano. Retrieved from:https://res.cloudinary.com/rsdesignspark-

live/image/upload/c_limit,w_530/f_auto/v1/article/
arduino_433f0931b21c19369bcb8993eef059a4184628bc

This unit features 14 digital pins which you can use to connect with external

components, while 6 analog pins of 10-bit resolution each, 2 reset pins, and 6 power pins

are integrated on the board. The operating voltage of this device is 5V, while input
 77

voltage ranges between 6V to 20V while the recommended input voltage ranges from 7V

to 12V. The DHT11, which is the temperature and humidity are operating at 5V. It serves

as the input and also the oxygen sensor. The sprinkler and the pump serve as the outputs,

and also the LCD screen serves as the operation status display.

Used Pins for the Arduino Nano

PIN FUNCTION
D2 DHT11
D3 Water Normal Float Switch
D4 Water Low Float Switch
D5 Red LED
D6 Green LED
D7 1 Channel Relay for the Fans IN
D8 2 Channel Relay for the pumps IN1
D9 2 Channel Relay for the pumps IN2
D10 Stage 1 Push Button
D11 Stage 2 Push Button
A4 LCD Display
A5 Oxygen Sensor
+5V +V of the devices connected to the main control unit
GND GND of the devices connected to the main control unit

Temperature and Humidity sensor

The DHT11 used in the system to monitor the Tomatoes’ growth chamber. The

temperature and humidity sensor works by calculating the relative humidity by measuring

the electrical resistance between two electrodes.

This type of measurement relies

Figure 18.onDHT11.
two electrical conductors
Retrieved from: with a non-conductive
https://components101.com/sites/default/files/components/DHT11-Sensor.jpg
polymer film laying between them to create an electrical field between them. Moisture
 78

from the air collects on the film and causes changes in the voltage levels between the two

plates. This change is then converted into a digital measurement of the air’s relative

humidity after taking the air temperature into account.

Pin Configuration of the temperature and humidity sensor

PIN NUMBER PIN DESCRIPTION FUNCTION
1 VCC Connects the device to the
power supply.

2 Signal Communicate between the

sensor and the
microcontroller.
3 Ground Connects to ground to
complete the circuit.

LCD Screen

To monitor the system’s activity, a Liquid Crystal Display Screen with i2c was

included. The first line indicates the current temperature and humidity by the DHT11,

while the second line indicates the oxygen detected by the oxygen sensor.

Figure 19. 16x2 Liquid Crystal Display

Pin Configuration of 16x2 LCD with i2c

PIN NUMBER PIN DESCRIPTION FUNCTION
1 VCC Connects the device to the
power supply.
 79

2 Ground Connects to ground to

complete the circuit
3 SDA Used for sending and
receiving data
4 SCL Clock line used to
synchronize all data
transfers over the i2c bus

Water Pump

A water pump is used to pump the nutrient solution from the refill to the reservoir and

from the reservoir to the nozzle inside the growth chamber and then it was distributed the

different nozzles to deliver it to the roots. It automatically sprays accordingly to the

programmed on the Arduino uno.

Figure 20. Water Pump. Retrieved from: https://www.makerlab-

electronics.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/12V-Mini-Water-Pump-01.jpg

Nozzle

A nozzle was used to distribute Figure

nutrient21.
solution
Nozzleto the roots of the tomatoes. A total

of six (6) nozzles was installed in the prototype to ensure that all plants received the same

amount of nutrients.
 80

Buck Converter

A buck converter was used in SMPS circuits where the DC output voltage needs to be

lower than the DC input voltage. The DC input can be derived from rectified AC or from

any DC supply. It is useful where electrical isolation is not needed between the switching

circuit and the output, but where the input is from a rectified AC source, isolation

between the AC source and the rectifier could be provided by a mains isolating

transformer.

Figure 22. Buck Converter. Retrieved from:

https://www.amazon.eg/-/en/Converter-3-0-40V-1-5-35V-Supply-Module/
dp/B091D7TV8Z

Ventilating Fan

The fans are used for ventilating the growth chamber. It serves as the controlling

device for the temperature, humidity and oxygen. So, the growth chamber will maintain

the normal state of temperature, humidity and oxygen.

 81

Figure 23. Ventilating Fan. Retrieved from:

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/V9YAAOSw9sliWHBP/s-l500.jpg

Oxygen sensor

An oxygen sensor was used to measure the oxygen level inside the growth chamber.

The sensor detects real-time value of oxygen level. The required value of oxygen on a

tomato was ranging from 19 to 20 oxygen level.

Figure 24. Oxygen Sensor. Retrieved from: https://www.dfrobot.com/product-2052.html

Pin Configuration of oxygen sensor

PIN NUMBER PIN FUNCTION
DESCRIPTION
1 VCC Connects the device to the power
supply.
2 Ground Connects to ground to complete the
circuit
3 SDA Used for sending and receiving data
4 SCL Clock line Used to synchronize all
data transfers over the i2c bus

Resource Management
 82

Capital investment plays a big role in building this project. To be able to canvass all

the materials and components needed, capital is important. The basic concerns are the

labor cost, machine cost, material cost, and maintenance cost. The project should be

properly maintained. All the connections and the program must not be altered to maintain

its good performance. It is also important to know how the project operates to work

properly and to prevent malfunctions.

In accordance with the main research objectives, statistical procedures were applied

based on the data gathering procedure to determine the reliability and accuracy of the

performance and effectiveness of the project.

Project Limitation and Capabilities

The prototype was designed only for a small-scale system. The capacity it provided is

only for 6 tomato plants. It used a 220V AC power supply and a buck converter to supply

the whole system. The system operates continuously and was set based on the stage of the

tomato plant. Stages include Stage 1 or 45 days after planting and Stage 2 for the coming

days after stage 1. Once the cultivator transplanted the tomato, they have to set the stage

so the operation of the system runs. There are three modes of triggering the ventilating

system and these are through Temperature Sensor, Humidity Sensor and Oxygen Level

Sensor. The Temperature Sensor senses the surrounding temperature while the purpose of

the Humidity Sensor in this project is to monitor and control the humidity along the

growing chamber in its acceptable condition for the tomato growth. Also, the oxygen

level must be observed and has its own threshold to be also monitored and controlled by

the Oxygen Level Sensor and ventilating fans. As one of these thresholds was reached,

the ventilating fans in the growing chamber opens until it reaches the normal condition.
 83

After normalcy, fans will turn off automatically. When it comes to the nutrient solution

level, float sensors were also used. It has been set to Lower-level Limit and Upper-level

Limit conditions as its indicators. Once lower-level limit was hit, the pump in the refill

will operate to supply the growing chamber the enough and needed nutrient solution until

it reaches the upper-level limit condition making the pump stop in operating. However,

although this performance of nutrient supplying is continuous, the nutrient solution is

limited for only 14 days maximum. After 14 days, whether the refill still has the nutrient

solution, it shall be discarded.

Moreover, the project does not cover the monitoring and control of carbon dioxide

concentration, sunlight intensity and pH level for its nutrient solution since the set up was

made for outdoor spaces and the solution was pre-mixed.

Project Evaluations

Some problems were encountered by the researchers during the testing of the
Arduino-
Based Automated Aeroponic System for Tomato Production. The following listed tables

show the number of trials and their corresponding situations, outcomes, and such

remarks.

Testing and Revisions

To ensure that the project is fully functioning, the proponents performed several tests

to evaluate each parameter in the Arduino-Based Automated Aeroponic System for

Tomato Production. Revisions were done to the parameters that were not able to meet the

expectations of the proponents.

Prior to this, the six tomato plants used by the proponents were transplanted a month

after they were traditionally cultivated in the soil. The process of transplantation is
 84

supported by Barth in 2015 that stated when the seeds are 3 to 4 inches in height and the

overnight temperatures are constantly above 50 degrees, tomatoes are ready to be

transplanted into the garden.

The six plants that have been transplanted are averaging a height of 17 inches or 44

cm. With all these being said, the data listed below were computed for Stage 1 or roughly

45 days of the tomatoes. These were collected from April 5 – 18, 2022.

Figure 25. Newly transplanted one (1) month old Tomato Plant

Performance of Nozzle, Relay and Nutrient Solution Spray Pump

Table 3 shows the testing of the performance of the nozzle and relay for spraying

time. For the first and third trial, no errors occurred. The second trial has error, the

nozzles failed to spray due to a loose connection on the spray pump.

 85

Table 3. Performance of Nozzle, Relay and Nutrient Solution Spray Pump

Expected Actual Revision
Trial Activity Remarks
Performance Performance Done
The nozzle
Timer is set to
The nozzle will operated 3
5 minutes No
operate 3 seconds in seconds exactly in
1 before 3 Successful revisions
every 5 minutes after every 5 minutes
seconds of done
the primary spray. after the primary
spraying time.
spray.
Checked
The nozzle failed
Timer is set to the
The nozzle will to operate 3 Unsuccessful:
5 minutes connections
operate 3 seconds in seconds exactly in Loose
2 before 3 and
every 5 minutes after every 5 minutes connection of
seconds of resolder
the primary spray. after the primary spray pump
spraying time. spray pump
spray.
wires
The nozzle
Timer is set to
The nozzle will operated 3
5 minutes No
operate 3 seconds in seconds exactly in
3 before 3 Successful revisions
every 5 minutes after every 5 minutes
seconds of done
the primary spray. after the primary
spraying time.
spray.
Legend: Successful = Expected performance is almost the same as the actual performance
showed by Nozzle, Relay and Nutrient Solution Spray Pump; Unsuccessful = Expected
performance is not the same as the actual performance showed by Nozzle, Relay and Nutrient
Solution Spray Pump.

There was no error occurred for the first trial. For the second trial, the nozzle failed to

operate on the set time due to the loose connection of spray pump. The proponents fixed

the fault in connection by resoldering the spray pump. And for the third trial, the system

operated on the set time, and the relay switched on the spray pump for watering the

plants.

Three trials were made to ensure that the system operated according to the program

and that there was no occurrence of error.

Performance of Temperature & Humidity Sensor, Relay and Ventilating fans

 86

Table 4 shows the result of the testing of the performance of the temperature &

humidity sensor in triggering the relay that switches on the ventilating fans through visual

inspection. The temperature & humidity sensor sensed high temperature and below

normal humidity when it was heated off using a hair blower, and it triggered the relay to

switch on the ventilating fans that resulted in balancing the temperature and humidity

level. In short, there was no problem encountered in the performance test of the

temperature & humidity sensor, relay, and ventilating fans.

Table 4. Performance of Temperature & Humidity Sensor, Relay and Ventilating fans
Expected Actual Revision
Trial Activity Remarks
Performance Performance Done
The temperature The temperature
& humidity & humidity The temperature &
sensor was sensor will humidity sensor
triggered by sense above sensed above No
1 heating it off maximum maximum Successful revisions
using hair temperature set temperature set and done
blower. and relay switch relay switch on
T>35.00℃; on ventilating ventilating fans.
H<50% fans.
The temperature The temperature
& humidity & humidity The temperature &
sensor was sensor will humidity sensor
triggered by sense above sensed above No
2 heating it off maximum maximum Successful revisions
using hair temperature set temperature set and done
blower. and relay switch relay switch on
T>35.00℃; on ventilating ventilating fans.
H<50% fans.
The temperature The temperature
& humidity & humidity The temperature &
sensor was sensor will humidity sensor
triggered by sense above sensed above No
3 heating it off maximum maximum Successful revisions
using hair temperature set temperature set and done
blower. and relay switch relay switch on
T>35.00℃; on ventilating ventilating fans.
H<50% fans.
 87

Legend: Successful = Expected performance is almost the same as the actual performance
showed by Temperature Sensor, Relay and Ventilating fans; Unsuccessful = Expected
performance is not the same as the actual performance showed by Temperature & Humidity
Sensor, Relay and Ventilating fans
The proponents did not perform any revisions as all trials were successful. Three trials

were made to ensure that the system operated according to the program and that there

was no occurrence of error.

Performance of Oxygen Sensor, Relay and Ventilating fans

Table 5 shows the result of the testing of the performance of the oxygen sensor in

triggering the relay that switches on the ventilating fans through visual inspection. The

oxygen sensor sensed below normal oxygen level condition when it was heated off using

a hair blower, and it triggered the relay to switch on the ventilating fans that resulted in

balancing the level of oxygen in the growing chamber.

The prototype worked the same as the expected performance; three trials were done

using the hair blower. In short, there was no problem encountered in the performance test

of the oxygen sensor, relay, and ventilating fans.

Table 5. Performance of Oxygen Sensor, Relay and Ventilating fans

Expected Actual Revision
Trial Activity Remarks
Performance Performance Done
The oxygen The oxygen
The oxygen sensor will sense sensor sensed
sensor was below normal below normal
No
triggered by oxygen oxygen
1 Successful revisions
heating it off concentration set concentration set
done
using hair blower. and relay switch and relay switch
O<20% on ventilating on ventilating
fans. fans.
The oxygen The oxygen The oxygen
sensor was sensor will sense sensor sensed
No
triggered by above below below normal
2 Successful revisions
heating it off temperature set oxygen
done
using hair blower. and relay switch concentration set
O<20% on ventilating and relay switch
 88

on ventilating
fans.
Table 5 continued… fans.
The oxygen
The oxygen
The oxygen sensor sensed
sensor will sense
sensor was below normal
above below No
triggered by oxygen
3 temperature set Successful revisions
heating it off concentration set
and relay switch done
using hair blower. and relay switch
on ventilating
O<20% on ventilating
fans.
fans.
Legend: Successful = Expected performance is almost the same as the actual performance
showed by Temperature Sensor, Relay and Ventilating fans; Unsuccessful = Expected
performance is not the same as the actual performance showed by Oxygen Sensor, Relay and
Ventilating fans

There were no revisions done as all trials were successful. Three trials were made

again to ensure that the system operated according to the program and that there was no

occurrence of error.

Performance of Float Switch, Relay and Nutrient Solution Refill Pump

Table 6 shows the testing of the performance of the relay to trigger the pump in

manually pulling the float switch. For the first trial, errors occurred, such as the system

did not operate upon pulling the float switch; the pump did not operate due to an error

connection on the relay and a program error.

Table 6. Performance of Float Switch, Relay and Nutrient Solution Refill Pump
Expected Actual Revisions
Trial Activity Remarks
Performance Performance Done
Activate the system The relay will
in terms of low switch on the The relay failed
nutrient solution pump when to switched on
level detected by the reservoir the pump.
Unsuccessful: Check the
float switch. needs refill.
Connection connection
Activate the system
The relay will and program and revised
1 in terms of The relay turns
switch off the error the program.
maximum nutrient off the pump
pump when
solution level and stopped
reservoir was
detected by the float refilling.
done refilling.
switch.
 89
Table 6 continued…
Activate the system The relay will
The relay turns
in terms of low switch on the
on the pump
nutrient solution pump when
and starts
level detected by the reservoir
refilling.
float switch. needs refill.
No revisions
Activate the system
The relay will done
in terms of The relay turns Successful
2 switch off the
maximum nutrient off the pump
pump when
solution level and stopped
reservoir was
detected by the float refilling.
done refilling.
switch.
Activate the system The relay will
The relay turns
in terms of low switch on the
on the pump
nutrient solution pump when
and starts
level detected by the reservoir
refilling.
float switch. needs refill.
No revisions
3 Activate the system Successful
The relay will done
in terms of The relay turns
switch off the
maximum nutrient off the pump
pump when
solution level and stopped
reservoir was
detected by the float refilling.
done refilling.
switch.
Legend: Successful = Expected performance is almost the same as the actual performance
showed by Float Switch, Relay and Pump. Unsuccessful = Expected performance is not the same
as the actual performance showed by Float Switch, Relay and Pump.

The researchers troubleshoot the system, checked the connections, and then revised

the program uploaded to the MCU. For the second and third trial, the system operated as

the expected performance, and the pump was triggered to switch on. Also, for the third

trial, the system operated successfully, and the relay switched on the pump. Three trials

were made to ensure that the system operated according to the program and that there

was no occurrence of error.

Performance Testing of the Whole System in Terms of Process Reliability

Table 7 shows the result of overall performance of the device in terms of process

Reliability of the Arduino-Based Automated Aeroponic System for Tomato Production.

The DHT11 (Temperature & Humidity Sensor) was set to the temperature of 10°C-35°C
 90

and Humidity of 50%-95%; Oxygen was set to 20%-21% as the threshold, once the lower

or upper threshold was triggered, the ventilating fan was expected to operate until the

atmosphere inside the growing chamber was balanced. For the Stage 1 of the tomato

plant, the nozzles were set in 3 seconds of spraying time in every 5 minutes of interval.

Table 7. Overall Performance of the Device in Terms of Process Reliability

Date: 04-09-2022
Temper
Waiting Actual
ature & Oxygen Ventilating Refill
Time of Spraying
Trial Time Humidit Sensor fans Activated Remarks
Operation Time
y (℃ / (%) Activated? ?
(minutes) (seconds)
%)

No; No;
Temperatur Normal
8:04 28.38 / Successfu
1 20.08 5 3 e, Humidity Nutrient
AM 95 l
and Oxygen Solution
are Normal Level

Yes; No;
Temperatur Normal
2:30 35.7 / Successfu
2 19.32 5 3 e and Nutrient
PM 95 l
Oxygen are Solution
not normal Level

No; No;
Temperatur Normal
7:14 26.08 / Successfu
3 20.4 5 3 e, Humidity Nutrient
PM 95 l
and Oxygen Solution
are Normal Level

Legends: Temperature>10°C-35°C; Humidity>50%-95%; Oxygen>20%-21%=ventilating fans

activated, successful; Temperature>10°C-35°C; Humidity>50%-95%; Oxygen>20%-
21%=ventilating fans not activated, unsuccessful.
 91

Date: 04-13-2022
Temper
Waiting Actual
ature & Oxygen Ventilating Refill
Time of Spraying
Trial Time Humidit Sensor fans Activated Remarks
Operation Time
y (℃ / (%) Activated? ?
(minutes) (seconds)
%)
Unsucces
Yes;
sful;
Low
No; Empty
level
Temperature reservoir,
6:00 27.04 / limit of
4 20.23 5 0 , Humidity the relay
AM 95 nutrient
and Oxygen failed to
solution
are Normal turn on
was
the refill
reached
pump
No; No;
Temperature Normal
1:15 29.7 / Successfu
5 20.02 5 3 , Humidity Nutrient
PM 95 l
and Oxygen Solution
are Normal Level
No; No;
Temperature Normal
6:20 26.08 / Successfu
6 20.43 5 3 , Humidity Nutrient
PM 95 l
and Oxygen Solution
are Normal Level
Legends: Temperature>10°C-35°C; Humidity>50%-95%; Oxygen>20%-21%=ventilating fans
activated, successful; Temperature>10°C-35°C; Humidity>50%-95%; Oxygen>20%-
21%=ventilating fans not activated, unsuccessful.

Date: 04-17-2022
Temper
Waiting Actual
ature & Oxygen Ventilating Refill
Time of Spraying
Trial Time Humidit Sensor fans Activated Remarks
Operation Time
y (℃ / (%) Activated? ?
(minutes) (seconds)
%)
No; No;
Temperature Normal
7:17 28.38 / Successfu
7 7 continued…
Table 20.5 5 3 , Humidity Nutrient
AM 95 l
and Oxygen Solution
are Normal Level
28.7 / No; No;
95 Temperature Normal
12:3 Successfu
8 20.02 5 3 , Humidity Nutrient
0PM l
and Oxygen Solution
are Normal Level
 92

Yes; No;
Temperature Normal
7:35 26.08 / Successfu
9 19.8 5 3 and Oxygen Nutrient
PM 95 l
are not Solution
normal Level
Legends: Temperature>10°C-35°C; Humidity>50%-95%; Oxygen>20%-21%=ventilating fans
activated, successful; Temperature>10°C-35°C; Humidity>50%-95%; Oxygen>20%-
21%=ventilating fans not activated, unsuccessful.

The researchers performed 9 trials for Stage 1 to test the overall performance of the

device. The table shows each trial parameters before and after the system operates. On

the fourth trial, the nozzles failed to water the plants in the set time of 3 seconds of

spraying. The problem was that the reservoir was empty due to failure of the relay to

trigger the refilling pump. After fixing the problem, the system worked successfully.

To compute for the reliability in Stage 1; Eq. 1 and Eq. 2

𝑟 = 𝑒−𝜆𝑡 𝑥 100

Where: r = reliability

5.05
t = number of samples in minutes per hour =
60

λ = failure rate (f/n)

f = total failure

n = number of tests

For the Performance of Nozzle, Relay and Nutrient Solution Spray Pump

f=1 ; n=3 ,

λ = (f/n) = (1/3)

r = 97.23%
 93

For the Performance of Temperature & Humidity Sensor, Relay and Ventilating fans

f=0 ; n=3

λ = (f/n) = (0/3)

r = 100%

For the Performance of Oxygen Sensor, Relay and Ventilating fans

f=0 ; n=3

λ = (f/n) = (0/3)

r = 100%

For the Performance of Float Switch, Relay and Nutrient Solution Refill Pump

f=1 ; n=3

λ = (f/n) = (1/3)

r = 97.23%

The average reliability of the prototype was taken from the individual reliability; that

is the performance as observed in temperature & humidity sensor, nozzle, oxygen sensor,

and float switch reliability in terms of failure.

To compute for the average reliability for Stage 1; Eq. 3

R=
∑r
n

where: R = average reliability (%)

r = individual reliability (%)

n = number of reliabilities = 4
 94

97.23+100+100+ 97.23
R=
4

R = 98.62%

Performance Testing of the Whole System in Terms of Process Accuracy

Table 8 shows the result of visual inspection for the Accuracy test in terms of sensors

used in the Arduino-Based Automated Aeroponic System for Tomato Production. The

DHT11 (Temperature & Humidity Sensor) was set to the temperature of 10°C-35°C and

Humidity of 50%-95%; Oxygen was set to 20%-21% as the threshold, once the lower or

upper threshold was triggered, the ventilating fan was expected to operate until the

atmosphere inside the growing chamber was balanced.

Table 8. Overall Performance of the Device in Terms of Process Accuracy

Temperature Oxygen
Date & Atmospheric Expected Actual
Trial & Humidity Sensor Remarks
Time Condition Performance Performance
(℃/%) (%)
The nozzle
The nozzle
will operate
operated 3
within 3
seconds in
04-05- seconds in
every 5
1 2022 24.9 / 95 20.4 Cloudy; dry every 5 Successful
minutes; the
6:15AM minutes; the
ventilating
ventilating
fan remains
fan will
off.
remain off.
The nozzle
The nozzle
will operate
operated 3
Table 8 continued… within 3
seconds in
04-06- seconds in
every 5
2 2022 28.7 / 95 20.4 Sunny; clear every 5 Successful
minutes; the
6:44AM minutes; the
ventilating
ventilating
fan remains
fan will
off.
remain off.
26.5 / 95 The nozzle The nozzle
04-07- will operate operated 3
Sunny;
3 2022 19.49 within 3 seconds in Successful
cloudy
6:10AM seconds in every 5
every 5 minutes; the
 95

minutes; the
ventilating ventilating
fan will fan balanced
operate until the oxygen
the oxygen back to
was normal.
balanced.
The nozzle
The nozzle
will operate
operated 3
within 3
seconds in
04-08- seconds in
Sunny; every 5
4 2022 28.4 / 95 19.8 every 5 Successful
cloudy minutes; the
12:15PM minutes; the
ventilating
ventilating
fan remains
fan will
off.
remain off.
The nozzle
The nozzle
will operate
failed to
within 3
operate 3
seconds in Unsuccess
seconds in
every 5 ful; the
every 5
04-10- minutes; the system
minutes; the
5 2022 36.2 / 95 20.7 Sunny; clear ventilating hangs due
ventilating
12:30PM fan will to
fan failed to
operate until overheatin
balance the
the g
temperature
temperature
back to
was
normal.
balanced.
The nozzle
will operate The nozzle
within 3 operated 3
seconds in seconds in
every 5 every 5
04-12- minutes; the minutes; the
Sunny;
6 2022 35.5 / 95 20.08 ventilating ventilating Successful
windy
12:20PM fan will fan balanced
operate until the
the temperature
temperature back to
was normal.
balanced.
7 04-14- 26.7 / 95 20.4 Cloudy; dry The nozzle The nozzle Successful
2022 will operate operated 3
5:57PM within 3 seconds in
seconds in every 5
every 5 minutes; the
minutes; the ventilating
ventilating fan remains
 96

fan will
off.
remain off.
The nozzle
The nozzle
will operate
operated 3
within 3
seconds in
04-16- seconds in
every 5
8 2022 29.04 / 95 20.02 Sunny; clear every 5 Successful
minutes; the
6:08PM minutes; the
ventilating
ventilating
fan remains
fan will
off.
remain off.
The nozzle
The nozzle
will operate
operated 3
within 3
seconds in
04-18- seconds in
Rainy; every 5
9 2022 27.5 / 95 20.2 every 5 Successful
windy minutes; the
5:18PM minutes; the
ventilating
ventilating
fan remains
fan will
Table 8 continued… off.
remain off.
Legend: Successful = Expected performance is almost the same as the actual performance;
Unsuccessful = Expected performance is not the same as the actual performance

The researchers performed nine observations with different atmospheric conditions to

test the overall performance of the device. The table shows each trial parameters while

the whole system operates. On the fifth trial, the nozzle failed to water the plants. The

problem was the system got an operational error due to overheating. After fixing the

problem, the system worked successfully. Moreover, if the system was not

active/operating due to overheating, the tomato plants sometimes withered.

To compute for the accuracy of the device for Stage 1: Eq. 5

number of trials−number of failures

Accuracy = x 100
number of trials

Number of failures = 1

Number of trials = 9

9−1
Accuracy = x 100+
9
 97

8
= x 100
9
Accuracy = 88.89%

Meanwhile, when time came for tomato plants to grow further, the data that were

compiled and computed are for Stage 2 or 60 days. The six plants that have been

transplanted are now averaging a height of 28 inches or 71 cm growing about a mean

growth of 11 inches during the 6 weeks in the device (current situation of the tomatoes

are shown in the figure below). However, Plant D has suffered from a severe breaking of

stem due to strong winds and bad weather condition making it the only one that did not

survive (see figure 26 a). Right away, the proponents have an alternative plant and

replaced the tomato the following day. With these, the observations, information and data

were collected from April 19 – May 16, 2022.

(a) (b)

Figure 26. Plant D that has suffered from withering and the current condition of the Six
(6) week old Tomato Plant after being transplanted in the device.

Performance of Nozzle, Relay and Nutrient Solution Spray Pump

 98

Table 9 shows the testing of the performance of the nozzle and relay for spraying

time. For the first trial, no errors occurred. The third trial has error, the 2 nozzles failed to

spray due clogged and tightness.

Table 9. Performance of Nozzle, Relay and Nutrient Solution Spray Pump

Expected Actual Revision
Trial Activity Remarks
Performance Performance Done

Timer is set The nozzle will The nozzle

to 3 minutes operate 5 operated 5
No
before 5 seconds in seconds exactly
1 Successful revisions
seconds of every 3 minutes in every 3
done
spraying after the minutes after the
time. primary spray. primary spray.

Timer is set The nozzle will The nozzle

to 3 minutes operate 5 operated 5
No
before 5 seconds in seconds exactly
2 Successful revisions
seconds of every 3 minutes in every 3
done
spraying after the minutes after the
time. primary spray. primary spray.
Cleaned
Timer is set The nozzle will The nozzle failed
the
to 3 minutes operate 5 to operate 5
Unsuccessful: nozzles
before 5 seconds in seconds exactly
3 Two nozzles and
seconds of every 3 minutes in every 3
were clogged adjusted
spraying after the minutes after the
the
time. primary spray. primary spray.
tightness
Timer is set The nozzle will The nozzle
to 3 minutes operate 5 operated 5
No
before 5 seconds in seconds exactly
4 Successful revisions
seconds of every 3 minutes in every 3
done
spraying after the minutes after the
time. primary spray. primary spray.
Timer is set The nozzle will The nozzle
to 3 minutes operate 5 operated 5
No
before 5 seconds in seconds exactly
5 Successful revisions
seconds of every 3 minutes in every 3
done
spraying after the minutes after the
time. primary spray. primary spray.
6 Timer is set The nozzle will The nozzle Successful No
to 3 minutes operate 5 operated 5 revisions
before 5 seconds in seconds exactly done
seconds of every 3 minutes in every 3
 Table 9 continued…

99

spraying after the minutes after the

time. primary spray. primary spray.
Timer is set The nozzle will The nozzle
to 3 minutes operate 5 operated 5
No
before 5 seconds in seconds exactly
7 Successful revisions
seconds of every 3 minutes in every 3
done
spraying after the minutes after the
time. primary spray. primary spray.
Timer is set The nozzle will The nozzle
to 3 minutes operate 5 operated 5
No
before 5 seconds in seconds exactly
8 Successful revisions
seconds of every 3 minutes in every 3
done
spraying after the minutes after the
time. primary spray. primary spray.
Legend: Successful = Expected performance is almost the same as the actual performance
showed by Nozzle, Relay and Nutrient Solution Spray Pump; Unsuccessful = Expected
performance is not the same as the actual performance showed by Nozzle, Relay and Nutrient
Solution Spray Pump.

There were no errors occurred for the first and second trial. For the third trial, the 2

nozzles failed to operate on the set time due to its clogged and tightness. The proponents

fixed the fault by cleaning and adjusting the nozzles. And for the next trials, no revisions

were done as the device operated accordingly on the set time, and the relay switched on

the spray pump for watering the plants. Eight trials were made in the Stage 2 to ensure

that the system operated according to the program and that there was no occurrence of

error.

Performance of Temperature & Humidity Sensor, Relay and Ventilating fans

Table 10 shows the result of the testing of the performance of the temperature &

humidity sensor in triggering the relay that switches on the ventilating fans through visual

inspection. The temperature & humidity sensor sensed high temperature and below

normal humidity when it was heated off using a hair blower, and it triggered the relay to

switch on the ventilating fans that resulted in balancing the temperature and humidity

level. In short, there was no problem encountered in the performance test of the
 100

temperature & humidity sensor, relay, and ventilating fans except on the second trial

where there has been a loose connection in the MCU.

Table 10. Performance of Temperature & Humidity Sensor, Relay and Ventilating fans
Expected Actual Revision
Trial Activity Remarks
Performance Performance Done
The
temperature & The temperature
The temperature &
humidity & humidity sensor
humidity sensor
sensor was will sense above
sensed above No
triggered by maximum
1 maximum Successful revisions
heating it off temperature set
temperature set and done
using hair and relay switch
relay switch on
blower. on ventilating
ventilating fans.
T>35.00℃; fans.
H<50%
The
temperature & The temperature The temperature &
humidity & humidity sensor humidity sensor
sensor was will sense above sensed above Unsuccessful; Checked
triggered by maximum maximum Loose wire wire
2
heating it off temperature set temperature set and connections in connections
using hair and relay switch relay failed to MCU in MCU
blower. on ventilating switch on
T>35.00℃; fans. ventilating fans.
H<50%
The
temperature & The temperature
The temperature &
humidity & humidity sensor
humidity sensor
sensor was will sense above
sensed above No
triggered by maximum
3 maximum Successful revisions
heating it off temperature set
temperature set and done
using hair and relay switch
relay switch on
blower. on ventilating
ventilating fans.
T>35.00℃; fans.
H<50%
4 The The temperature The temperature & Successful No
temperature & & humidity sensor humidity sensor revisions
humidity will sense above sensed above done
sensor was maximum maximum
triggered by temperature set temperature set and
heating it off and relay switch relay switch on
using hair on ventilating ventilating fans.
Table 10 continued…
blower. fans.
T>35.00℃;
 101

H<50%
The
temperature & The temperature
The temperature &
humidity & humidity sensor
humidity sensor
sensor was will sense above
sensed above No
triggered by maximum
5 maximum Successful revisions
heating it off temperature set
temperature set and done
using hair and relay switch
relay switch on
blower. on ventilating
ventilating fans.
T>35.00℃; fans.
H<50%
The
temperature & The temperature
The temperature &
humidity & humidity sensor
humidity sensor
sensor was will sense above
sensed above No
triggered by maximum
6 maximum Successful revisions
heating it off temperature set
temperature set and done
using hair and relay switch
relay switch on
blower. on ventilating
ventilating fans.
T>35.00℃; fans.
H<50%
The
temperature & The temperature
The temperature &
humidity & humidity sensor
humidity sensor
sensor was will sense above
sensed above No
triggered by maximum
7 maximum Successful revisions
heating it off temperature set
temperature set and done
using hair and relay switch
relay switch on
blower. on ventilating
ventilating fans.
T>35.00℃; fans.
H<50%
The
temperature & The temperature
The temperature &
humidity & humidity sensor
humidity sensor
sensor was will sense above
sensed above No
triggered by maximum
8 maximum Successful revisions
heating it off temperature set
temperature set and done
using hair and relay switch
relay switch on
blower. on ventilating
ventilating fans.
T>35.00℃; fans.
H<50%
Legend: Successful = Expected performance is almost the same as the actual performance
showed by Temperature Sensor, Relay and Ventilating fans; Unsuccessful = Expected
performance is not the same as the actual performance showed by Temperature & Humidity
Sensor, Relay and Ventilating fans
 102

The proponents triggered the temperature and humidity sensor using a hair blower.

There was no error occurred for the first trial. For the second trial, the relay failed to

switch on ventilating fans. After the connections were checked and secured, the system

operated again successfully. And for the next six trials, no revisions were done as the

device operated accordingly to the program and there was no occurrence of error.

Performance of Oxygen Sensor, Relay and Ventilating fans

Table 11 shows the result of the testing of the performance of the oxygen sensor in

triggering the relay that switches on the ventilating fans through visual inspection. The

oxygen sensor sensed below normal oxygen level condition when it was heated off using

a hair blower, and it triggered the relay to switch on the ventilating fans that resulted in

balancing the level of oxygen in the growing chamber. In short, there was no problem

encountered in the performance test of the oxygen sensor, relay, and ventilating fans

except on the third trial where there have been no readings for the system hanged up.

Table 11. Performance of Oxygen Sensor, Relay and Ventilating fans

Expected Actual Revision
Trial Activity Remarks
Performance Performance Done
The oxygen The oxygen
The oxygen
sensor will sense sensor sensed
sensor was
below normal below normal
triggered by No
oxygen oxygen
heating it off Successful revisions
concentration set concentration set
using hair done
1 and relay switch and relay switch
blower.
on ventilating on ventilating
O<20%
fans. fans.
The oxygen
The oxygen The oxygen
sensor sensed
sensor was sensor will sense
below normal
triggered by above below No
oxygen
heating it off temperature set Successful revisions
concentration set
using hair and relay switch done
2 and relay switch
blower. on ventilating
on ventilating
O<20% fans.
fans.
 103

The oxygen The oxygen

The oxygen
sensor was sensor failed to
sensor will sense
triggered by sense below Restart the
above below Unsuccessful;
heating it off normal oxygen system and
temperature set no reading, the
using hair concentration set observe the
and relay switch system hangs
3 blower. and relay failed to device.
on ventilating
O<20% switch on
fans.
ventilating fans.
The oxygen
The oxygen The oxygen
sensor sensed
sensor was sensor will sense
below normal
triggered by above below No
oxygen
4 heating it off temperature set Successful revisions
concentration set
using hair and relay switch done
and relay switch
blower. on ventilating
on ventilating
O<20% fans.
fans.
The oxygen
The oxygen The oxygen
sensor sensed
sensor was sensor will sense
below normal
triggered by above below No
oxygen
5 heating it off temperature set Successful revisions
concentration set
using hair and relay switch done
and relay switch
blower. on ventilating
on ventilating
O<20% fans.
fans.
The oxygen
The oxygen The oxygen
sensor sensed
sensor was sensor will sense
below normal
triggered by above below No
oxygen
6 heating it off temperature set Successful revisions
concentration set
using hair and relay switch done
and relay switch
blower. on ventilating
on ventilating
O<20% fans.
fans.
The oxygen
The oxygen The oxygen
sensor sensed
sensor was sensor will sense
below normal
triggered by above below No
oxygen
7 heating it off temperature set Successful revisions
concentration set
using hair and relay switch done
and relay switch
blower. on ventilating
on ventilating
O<20%
Table 11 continued… fans.
fans.
The oxygen The oxygen The oxygen No
8 sensor was sensor will sense sensor sensed Successful revisions
triggered by above below below normal done
 104

oxygen
heating it off temperature set
concentration set
using hair and relay switch
and relay switch
blower. on ventilating
on ventilating
O<20% fans.
fans.
Legend: Successful = Expected performance is almost the same as the actual performance
showed by Temperature Sensor, Relay and Ventilating fans; Unsuccessful = Expected
performance is not the same as the actual performance showed by Oxygen Sensor, Relay and
Ventilating fans

The oxygen sensor was tested to trigger using a hair blower. An error was occurred for

the third trial, there was no reading of sensors showing in the LCD and the ventilating

fans failed to operate due to system hang and overheating of the MCU. The researchers

tried to restart and observe the system. The system operated again successfully after the

restart. No revisions were done for the next five trials.

Performance of Float Switch, Relay and Nutrient Solution Refill Pump

Table 12 shows the testing of the performance of the relay to trigger the pump in

manually pulling the float switch. For the third trial, errors occurred, such as the system

did not operate upon pulling the float switch; the pump did not operate due to

overheating.

Table 12. Performance of Float Switch, Relay and Nutrient Solution Refill Pump
Expected Actual Revisions
Trial Activity Remarks
Performance Performance Done
Activate the Successful No revisions
The relay will The relay
system in terms of done
switch on the turns on the
1 low nutrient
pump when pump and
solution level
reservoir needs starts
detected by the
refill. refilling.
Table 12 continued…
float switch.
Activate the The relay will The relay
system in terms of switch off the turns off the
maximum nutrient pump when pump and
solution level reservoir was stopped
detected by the done refilling. refilling.
 105

float switch.
Activate the
The relay will The relay
system in terms of
switch on the turns on the
low nutrient
pump when pump and
solution level
reservoir needs starts
detected by the
refill. refilling.
float switch. No revisions
Activate the Successful done
The relay will The relay
2 system in terms of
switch off the turns off the
maximum nutrient
pump when pump and
solution level
reservoir was stopped
detected by the
done refilling. refilling.
float switch.
Activate the
The relay will The relay
system in terms of
switch on the turns on the
low nutrient
pump when pump and
solution level
reservoir needs starts
detected by the Unsuccessful; Restart the
refill. refilling.
float switch. the system system and
3
Activate the hangs due to observe the
The relay will
system in terms of The relay overheating device.
switch off the
maximum nutrient failed to
pump when
solution level switched off
reservoir was
detected by the the pump.
done refilling.
float switch.
Activate the
The relay will The relay
system in terms of
switch on the turns on the
low nutrient
pump when pump and
solution level
reservoir needs starts
detected by the
refill. refilling.
float switch. No revisions
4 Successful
Activate the done
The relay will The relay
system in terms of
switch off the turns off the
maximum nutrient
pump when pump and
solution level
reservoir was stopped
detected by the
done refilling. refilling.
Table 12 continued…
float switch.
5 Activate the The relay will The relay Successful No revisions
system in terms of switch on the turns on the done
low nutrient pump when pump and
solution level reservoir needs starts
detected by the refill. refilling.
float switch.
 106

Activate the
The relay will The relay
system in terms of
switch off the turns off the
maximum nutrient
pump when pump and
solution level
reservoir was stopped
detected by the
done refilling. refilling.
float switch.
Activate the
The relay will The relay
system in terms of
switch on the turns on the
low nutrient
pump when pump and
solution level
reservoir needs starts
detected by the
refill. refilling.
float switch. No revisions
6 Successful
Activate the done
The relay will The relay
system in terms of
switch off the turns off the
maximum nutrient
pump when pump and
solution level
reservoir was stopped
detected by the
done refilling. refilling.
float switch.
Activate the
The relay will The relay
system in terms of
switch on the turns on the
low nutrient
pump when pump and
solution level
reservoir needs starts
detected by the
refill. refilling.
float switch. No revisions
7 Successful
Activate the done
The relay will The relay
system in terms of
switch off the turns off the
maximum nutrient
pump when pump and
solution level
reservoir was stopped
detected by the
done refilling. refilling.
float switch.
Activate the
The relay will The relay
system in terms of
switch on the turns on the
low nutrient
pump when pump and
solution level
reservoir needs starts
detected by the
refill. refilling.
float switch.
Table 12 continued… No revisions
8 Successful
Activate the done
The relay will The relay
system in terms of
switch off the turns off the
maximum nutrient
pump when pump and
solution level
reservoir was stopped
detected by the
done refilling. refilling.
float switch.
 107

Legend: Successful = Expected performance is almost the same as the actual performance
showed by Float Switch, Relay and Pump; Unsuccessful = Expected performance is not the same
as the actual performance showed by Float Switch, Relay and Pump.

The researchers performed eight trials for Stage 2 in testing the performance of the

relay to trigger the pump in manually pulling the float switch. On the third trial, the relay

failed to switched off the pump due to overheating. The device was restarted to function

again accordingly. After fixing the problem, the system worked successfully.

Performance Testing of the Whole System in Terms of Process Reliability

Table 13 shows the result of visual inspection for the Accuracy test in terms of sensors

used in the Arduino-Based Automated Aeroponic System for Tomato Production. The

DHT11 (Temperature & Humidity Sensor) was set to the temperature of 10°C-35°C and

Humidity of 50%-90%; Oxygen was set to 20%-21% as the threshold, once the lower or

upper threshold was triggered, the ventilating fan was expected to operate until the

atmosphere inside the growing chamber was balanced.

All of the information gathered below were used to determine the accuracy of the

sensor installed in the prototype.

Table 13. Overall Performance of the Device in Terms of Process Reliability

Date: 04-21-2022
Trial Time Temperat Oxygen Waiting Actual Ventilating Refill Remarks
ure & Sensor Time of Spraying fans Activated? Activated?
Humidity (%) Operation Time
 108

(℃ / %) (minutes) (seconds)
No; No;
Temperature, Normal
8:04 28.38 /
1 20.08 3 5 Humidity and Nutrient Successful
AM 95
Oxygen are Solution
Normal Level
No; No;
Temperature, Normal
2:30P
2 35.7 / 95 20.02 3 5 Humidity and Nutrient Successful
M
Oxygen are Solution
Normal Level
No; No;
Temperature, Normal
7:14P 26.08 /
3 20.4 3 5 Humidity and Nutrient Successful
M 95
Oxygen are Solution
Normal Level
Legends: Temperature>10°C-35°C; Humidity>50%-95%; Oxygen>20%-21%=ventilating fans
activated, successful; Temperature>10°C-35°C; Humidity>50%-95%; Oxygen>20%-
21%=ventilating fans not activated, unsuccessful.

Date: 04-27-2022
Temperat Waiting Actual
Oxygen
ure & Time of Spraying Ventilating Refill
Trial Time Sensor Remarks
Humidity Operation Time fans Activated? Activated?
(%)
(℃ / %) (minutes) (seconds)
Yes; Low
No; level
Temperature, limit of
7:21 27.01 /
4 20.05 3 minutes 5 seconds Humidity and nutrient Successful
AM 95
Oxygen are solution
Normal was
reached
Unsuccessf
No; No; ul; System
Temperature, Normal failed to
1:50P
5 29.7 / 95 20.0 3 minutes 0 second Humidity and Nutrient operate due
M
Oxygen are Solution to
Table 13 continued… Normal Level overheatin
g
6:20P No; No;
M Temperature, Normal
26.08 /
6 20.13 3 minutes 5 seconds Humidity and Nutrient Successful
95
Oxygen are Solution
Normal Level
Legends: Temperature>10°C-35°C; Humidity>50%-95%; Oxygen>20%-21%=ventilating fans
activated, successful; Temperature>10°C-35°C; Humidity>50%-95%; Oxygen>20%-
21%=ventilating fans not activated, unsuccessful.
 109

Date: 05-03-2022
Temperat Waiting Actual
Oxygen
ure & Time of Spraying Ventilating Refill
Trial Time Sensor Remarks
Humidity Operation Time fans Activated? Activated?
(%)
(℃ / %) (minutes) (seconds)
No; No;
Temperature, Normal
6:10 26.38 /
7 20.5 3 minutes 5 seconds Humidity and Nutrient Successful
AM 95
Oxygen are Solution
Normal Level
No; No;
Temperature, Normal
12:33
8 28.7 / 95 20.02 3 minutes 5 seconds Humidity and Nutrient Successful
PM
Oxygen are Solution
Normal Level
No;
Normal
7:35P 27.12 / Yes; Oxygen
9 19.8 3 minutes 5 seconds Nutrient Successful
M 95 is not normal
Solution
Level
Legends: Temperature>10°C-35°C; Humidity>50%-95%; Oxygen>20%-21%=ventilating fans
activated, successful; Temperature>10°C-35°C; Humidity>50%-95%; Oxygen>20%-
21%=ventilating fans not activated, unsuccessful.

Date: 05-09-2022
Temperat Waiting Actual
Oxygen
ure & Time of Spraying Ventilating Refill
Trial Time Sensor Remarks
Humidity Operation Time fans Activated? Activated?
(%)
(℃ / %) (minutes) (seconds)
Unsuccessf
Yes; Low
ul;
No; level
Empty
Temperature, limit of
8:04 28.38 / reservoir,
10 20.08 3 minutes 5 seconds Humidity and nutrient
AM 95 the relay
Oxygen are solution
Table 13 continued… failed to
Normal was
turn on the
reached
refill pump
35.7 / 95 No;
Yes;
Normal
2:30P Temperature
11 19.32 3 minutes 5 seconds Nutrient Successful
M and Oxygen
Solution
are not normal
Level
No; No;
Temperature, Normal
7:14P 26.08 /
12 20.4 3 minutes 5 seconds Humidity and Nutrient Successful
M 95
Oxygen are Solution
Normal Level
 110

Legends: Temperature>10°C-35°C; Humidity>50%-95%; Oxygen>20%-21%=ventilating fans

activated, successful; Temperature>10°C-35°C; Humidity>50%-95%; Oxygen>20%-
21%=ventilating fans not activated, unsuccessful.

Date: 05-15-2022
Temperat Waiting Actual
Oxygen
ure & Time of Spraying Ventilating Refill
Trial Time Sensor Remarks
Humidity Operation Time fans Activated? Activated?
(%)
(℃ / %) (minutes) (seconds)
No; No;
Temperature, Normal
6:00 27.04 /
13 20.23 3 minutes 5 seconds Humidity and Nutrient Successful
AM 95
Oxygen are Solution
Normal Level
No; No;
Temperature, Normal
1:15P
14 29.7 / 95 20.02 3 minutes 5 seconds Humidity and Nutrient Successful
M
Oxygen are Solution
Normal Level
No; No;
Temperature, Normal
6:20P 26.08 /
15 20.43 3 minutes 5 seconds Humidity and Nutrient Successful
M 95
Oxygen are Solution
Normal Level
Legends: Temperature>10°C-35°C; Humidity>50%-95%; Oxygen>20%-21%=ventilating fans
activated, successful; Temperature>10°C-35°C; Humidity>50%-95%; Oxygen>20%-
21%=ventilating fans not activated, unsuccessful.

The researchers performed fifth teen trials for Stage 2 to test the overall performance

of the device. The table shows each trial parameters before and after the system operates.

On the fifth trial, the nozzles failed to water the plants in the set time of 5 seconds of

spraying due to overheating. The device was restarted to function again accordingly. And

for the tenth trial, an error occurred, the nozzles failed to water the plants in the set time

of 5 seconds of spraying. The problem was that the reservoir was empty due to failure of

the relay to trigger the refilling pump. After fixing the problem, the system worked

successfully.

To compute for the reliability in Stage 2; Eq. 1 and Eq. 2

𝑟 = 𝑒−𝜆𝑡 𝑥 100
 111

Where: r = reliability

3.08
t = number of samples in minutes per hour =
60

λ = failure rate (f/n)

f = total failure

n = number of tests

For the Performance of Nozzle, Relay and Nutrient Solution Spray Pump

f=1 ; n=8

λ = (f/n) = (1/8)

r = 99.36%

For the Performance of Temperature & Humidity Sensor, Relay and Ventilating fans

f=1 ; n=8

λ = (f/n) = (1/8)

r = 99.36%

For the Performance of Oxygen Sensor, Relay and Ventilating fans

f=1 ; n=8

λ = (f/n) = (1/8)

r = 99.36%

For the Performance of Float Switch, Relay and Nutrient Solution Refill Pump

f=1 ; n=8
 112

λ = (f/n) = (1/8)

r = 99.36%

The average reliability of the prototype was taken from the individual reliability; that

is the performance as observed in temperature & humidity sensor, nozzle, oxygen sensor,

and float switch reliability in terms of failure.

To compute for the average reliability for Stage 2; Eq. 3

R=
∑r
n

R = average reliability (%)

r = individual reliability (%)

n = number of reliabilities = 4

99.36+99.36 +99.36+ 99.36

R=
4

R = 99.36%

Performance Testing of the Whole System in Terms of Process Accuracy

Table 14 shows the result of visual inspection for the Accuracy test in terms of sensors

used in the Arduino-Based Automated Aeroponic System for Tomato Production. The

DHT11 (Temperature & Humidity Sensor) was set to the temperature of 10°C-35°C and

Humidity of 50%-95%; Oxygen was set to 20%-21% as the threshold, once the lower or

upper threshold was triggered, the ventilating fan was expected to operate until the

atmosphere inside the growing chamber was balanced.

Table 14. Overall Performance of the Device in Terms of Process Accuracy

Trial Date & Temperatur Oxygen Atmospheric Expected Actual Remarks
Time e& Sensor Condition Performanc Performance
Humidity (%) e
 113

(℃/%)
The nozzle
The nozzle
will operate
operated 5
within 5
seconds in
04-19- seconds in
Cloudy; every 3
1 2022 26.7 / 95 20.03 every 3 Successful
windy minutes; the
7:36AM minutes; the
ventilating
ventilating
fans remains
fans will
off.
remain off.
The nozzle
will operate The nozzle
within 5 operated 5
seconds in seconds in
every 3 every 3
04-20-
minutes; the minutes; the
2 2022 27.0 / 95 19.7 Cold; windy Successful
ventilating ventilating
6:53AM
fans will fans
operate until balanced the
the oxygen oxygen back
was to normal.
balanced.
The nozzle
The nozzle
will operate
operated 5
within 5
seconds in
04-22- seconds in
Clear; every 3
3 2022 24.8 / 95 20.5 every 3 Successful
windy minutes; the
6:32AM minutes; the
ventilating
ventilating
fans remains
fans will
off.
remain off.
The nozzle The nozzle
will operate failed to
within 5 operate 5 Unsuccess
Table 1404-24-
continued… seconds in seconds in ful; two
4 2022 28.3 / 95 20.04 Sunny; clear every 3 every 3 (2)
8:35AM minutes; the minutes; the nozzles
ventilating ventilating clogged
fans will fans remains
remain off. off.
5 04-26- 26.08 / 95 20.0 Sunny; The nozzle The nozzle Successful
2022 cloudy will operate operated 5
7:26AM within 5 seconds in
seconds in every 3
every 3 minutes; the
minutes; the ventilating
 114

ventilating
fans remains
fans will
off.
remain off.
The nozzle
The nozzle
will operate
operated 5
within 5
seconds in
04-28- seconds in
every 3
6 2022 28.0 / 95 20.1 Sunny; clear every 3 Successful
minutes; the
12:00PM minutes; the
ventilating
ventilating
fans remains
fans will
off.
remain off.
The nozzle
The nozzle
will operate
operated 5
within 5
seconds in
04-30- seconds in
Sunny; every 3
7 2022 27.9 / 95 20.0 every 3 Successful
cloudy minutes; the
12:03PM minutes; the
ventilating
ventilating
fans remains
fans will
off.
remain off.
The nozzle
The nozzle
failed to
will operate
operate 5
within 5
seconds in
seconds in
every 3
every 3 Unsuccess
05-02- minutes; the
Rainy; minutes; the ful;
8 2022 26.8 / 95 19.3 ventilating
windy ventilating system
12:38PM fans failed
fans will hang
to operate
operate until
and balance
the oxygen
the oxygen
was
back to
balanced.
normal.
Table 14 continued… The nozzle
The nozzle
will operate
operated 5
within 5
seconds in
05-04- seconds in
Rainy; every 3
9 2022 25.03 / 95 20.7 every 3 Successful
windy minutes; the
12:24PM minutes; the
ventilating
ventilating
fans remains
fans will
off.
remain off.
05-06- The nozzle The nozzle
2022 Rainy;
10 24.4 / 95 20.01 will operate operated 5 Successful
12:57PM windy
within 5 seconds in
 115

seconds in
every 3
every 3
minutes; the
minutes; the
ventilating
ventilating
fans remains
fans will
off.
remain off.
The nozzle
The nozzle
will operate
operated 5
within 5
seconds in
05-08- seconds in
Sunny; every 3
11 2022 28.7 / 95 20.9 every 3 Successful
cloudy minutes; the
5:00PM minutes; the
ventilating
ventilating
fans remains
fans will
off.
remain off.
The nozzle
will operate The nozzle
within 5 operated 5
seconds in seconds in
every 3 every 3
05-10-
Rainy; minutes; the minutes; the
12 2022 27.02 / 95 19.06 Successful
windy ventilating ventilating
5:24PM
fans will fans
operate until balanced the
the oxygen oxygen back
was to normal.
balanced.
The nozzle
The nozzle
will operate
operated 5
within 5
seconds in
05-12- seconds in
Rainy; every 3
13 2022 27.0 / 95 20.3 every 3 Successful
windy minutes; the
5:03PM
Table 14 continued… minutes; the
ventilating
ventilating
fans remains
fans will
off.
remain off
05-14- The nozzle
The nozzle
2022 will operate
operated 5
5:16PM within 5
seconds in
seconds in
Cloudy; every 3
14 28.0 / 95 20.7 every 3 Successful
windy minutes; the
minutes; the
ventilating
ventilating
fans remains
fans will
off.
remain off
 116

The nozzle
The nozzle
will operate
operated 5
within 5
seconds in
05-16- seconds in
Rainy; every 3
15 2022 26.7 / 95 20.5 every 3 Successful
windy minutes; the
5:49PM minutes; the
ventilating
ventilating
fans remains
fans will
off.
remain off
Legend: Successful = Expected performance is almost the same as the actual performance;
Unsuccessful=Expected performance is not the same as the actual performance

A total of fifth teen observations were made for the stage 2 to test the overall

performance of the device. The table shows each trial parameters while the whole system

operates. On the fourth trial, the nozzle failed to water the plants. The problem was the

two nozzles clogged. After cleaning and fixing the tightness of the nozzles, it worked

again successfully. An error occurred for the eighth trial due to system hang. The device

was restarted to function again accordingly. There were no errors occurred afterwards.

To compute for the accuracy of the device for Stage 2: Eq. 5

number of trials−number of failures

Accuracy = x 100
number of trials

Number of failures = 2

Number of trials = 15

15−2
Accuracy = x 100
15

13
= x 100
15

Accuracy = 86.67%

To compute for the General Performance of the Device; Eq. 4 and Eq. 6

R of Stage 1+ R of Stage 2
General Reliability =
n of R
 117

R of Stage 1 = 98.62

R of Stage 2 = 99.36%

n of R = 2

R of Stage 1+ R of Stage 2
General Reliability =
n of R

98.62+99.36
=
2

General Reliability = 98.99%

Accuracy of Stage1+ Accuracy of Stage 2

General Accuracy =
n of Accuracy

Accuracy of Stage 1 = 88.89

Accuracy of Stage 2 = 86.67%

n of Accuracy = 2

Accuracy of Stage1+ Accuracy of Stage 2

General Accuracy =
n of Accuracy

88.89+86.67
=
2

General Accuracy = 87.78%

 Chapter V

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This chapter contains the outcome of the project study. It includes the summary of the

research work undertaken, the conclusions drawn and the recommendations made as an

outgrowth of this study.

Summary

The main goal of the study Arduino-Based Automated Aeroponic System for Tomato

Production was to develop the aeroponic farming of tomato cultivation and not fully rely

on traditional soil-based farming. This used temperature & humidity sensor to sense of

10°C -35°C and 50%-95% respectively as a normal condition. It also used an oxygen

sensor that maintained the growing chamber’s surrounding atmosphere at only 20% to

21%. When one of these thresholds were triggered, the ventilating fans have turned on

and operate. For its nutrient requirement, it used a pre-mixed nutrient solution with a

25mL to 10 L nutrient to water ratio and was controlled via float sensors that has its

upper-level limit and lower-level limit. After the series of sprinkling through the nozzles,

timed from the programmed code depending on the stage chosen, there came a point

where the reservoir reached the lower-level limit and the red LED turned on signaling a

need to refill. Through its float sensor, the refill started until the nutrient solution reached

the upper-level limit making the green LED to turn on and the red one to turn off. The

refill also stopped as this happened. The project was also developed to help lessen land

degradation and maximize technological advancements in terms of modern farming. The

 118

researchers also aimed to surpass human capabilities to help tomato producers to reduce

their work in terms of watering, controlling and maintaining a balanced environment for

their plants.

The project was composed of many different components such as Arduino Nano,

relay, water pumps, power supply, nozzles, the said sensors, green and red LEDs, and a

16x2 liquid crystal display screen. The main function of the device was to monitor and

control the parameters set and turn on the actuators as the thresholds were reached. After

several tests, the device was proved to be efficient.

The Arduino Nano was the one responsible for the control the whole process of

operations from automatically watering the plants, turning on the LEDs and ventilating

fans, and up to the operation of water pumps during refill. Arduino Nano is well-suited

with different kinds of operation in the control system. The maximum operating time for

the prototype ranges from 3 seconds and 5 minutes to 5 minutes and 3 seconds, including

the waiting and watering time. When the device is triggered, the ventilating fans, water

pump and nozzles worked immediately to operate and start their programmed tasks.

Findings

Based on various tests made and data gathered upon the testing and completion of the

prototype, the following findings were obtained:

1. After implementing the device, the temperature, humidity, Oxygen concentration

in growing chamber and the nutrient solution level at the reservoir have been

automatically controlled properly throughout the duration of the study’s

conduction. Through the recorded data, the programmed tasks were done properly
 119

making the device functional through the activation of its actuators such as the

ventilating fans, nozzles, pumps and LEDs. Out of 24 trials of each performance

of parameters done by the researchers, they were able to determine that the whole

system of Arduino-Based Automated Aeroponic System for Tomato Production is

generally 98.99% reliable and 87.78% accurate.

2. The researchers have evaluated the automation time of the automated aeroponic

system’s watering process through checking the activation of nozzles and all 6 of

them are working properly in general. Out of 11 trials, the device, specifically its

watering process showed a promising outcome for it only recorded 2 unsuccessful

trials.

Conclusion

After several months of working on the project, the researchers have found the

following conclusions about the Arduino-Based Automated Aeroponic System for

Tomato Production.

1. The device has been functional according to the programmed tasks and performed

successfully on controlling the given situations per parameter and the testing and

evaluation of the device showed a promising outcome for the whole system of

Arduino-Based Automated Aeroponic System for Tomato Production, having

98.99% reliability and 87.78% accuracy.

2. The automated aeroponic system’s watering process has proven its effectiveness

to the device by having its 6 nozzles activated properly overall.

 120

Recommendations

For further enhancement and improvement of the project, some recommendations are

hereby suggested;

1. To use components with higher specifications to prevent microcontroller

overheating and system hang up.

2. To add database for storing and retrieving of logs.

3. To use a higher voltage pump to lessen the time of reservoir refilling.

4. Addition of a backup power device that will continuously provide energy in case

of supply power interruptions and/or failure.

5. To host an online server, database or application since the system cannot be

operated and monitored remotely when the user is elsewhere.

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 Appendix A

The Prototype
LCD Panel System Device

Reservoir

Growth Chamber
 Refill

Prototype Making

Measuring of materials Drilling of drain Mixing of nutrient solution

Transplanting of Tomato Plants

The Researchers with the Prototype
 Appendix B

Tools and Equipment

Soldering Iron Glue Gun Welding Machine

Heat Shrink Measuring Tape Screwdriver

Cable Tie Laptop Connecting Wires

Wire Stripper Lead

Drill Grinder
 Appendix C

Operation Manual

A. Operation Procedure

Below are the steps that needs to be followed in order to operate the “Arduino-Based

Automated Aeroponic System for Tomato Production”.

1. Check the reservoir if it has enough nutrient solution for the spray.

2. Plug the extension cord in the 220VAC outlet.

2. Switch on the power button.

3. Then wait for the LCD to open.

4. Choose one of the two options if you would like to “Prime Spray” or

“Proceed”.

5. The Prime Spray option will just spray mist for 3 seconds.

6. The Proceed option will just go to the stage 1 and stage 2 option.

7. If you have selected stage 1 on the LCD it will have a program of spray

interval of 3 seconds every 5 minutes.

8. Then if you have selected stage 2 on the LCD it will have a program of spray

interval of 5 seconds every 3 minutes.

9. The device will automatically spray by the selected program.

B. Care and Maintenance

The prototype requires a maintenance and proper service in order to keep working as

intended.

1. Clean the reservoir every 2 weeks.

2. Check the host for leakage.

3. Check the pump if working properly.

4. Check the nozzle if working properly.

5. Clean the growth chamber to avoid any germs that will harm the roots.

6. Clean the refill every 2 weeks.

7. Occasionally troubleshoot and test the accuracy of the sensors and equipment.

C. Safety Precautions

These are the guidelines for the proper operation of the prototype for the safety of the

end user.

1. Always keep the surroundings neat and clean.

2. Clean the unnecessary objects around the device.

3. Keep the area dry to avoid rusting of the metals.

4. Avoid touching directly the components.

 Appendix D

Source Code

//lcd

#include <Wire.h>

#include <LiquidCrystal_I2C.h>

LiquidCrystal_I2C lcd = LiquidCrystal_I2C(0x27, 16, 2);

//temperature and humidity sensor

#include "DHT.h"

#define DHTPIN 2

#define DHTTYPE DHT11

DHT dht(DHTPIN, DHTTYPE);

float h;// = dht.readHumidity();

float t;// = dht.readTemperature();

//oxygen sensor

#include "DFRobot_OxygenSensor.h"

#define COLLECT_NUMBER 10 // collect number, the collection range is 1-

100.

#define Oxygen_IICAddress ADDRESS_3

/* iic slave Address, The default is ADDRESS_3.

ADDRESS_0 0x70 // iic device address.

ADDRESS_1 0x71

ADDRESS_2 0x72

ADDRESS_3 0x73

*/

DFRobot_OxygenSensor Oxygen;

float o;// = Oxygen.getOxygenData(COLLECT_NUMBER); //Oxygen concentration is

100 %vol

//float sensors

#define wN 3

#define wL 4

//leds

#define red 5

#define green 6

//relays

#define fans 7

#define spray 8

#define refill 9

//buttons

#define s1 10 //stage 1

#define s2 11 //stage 2

//values
int sprayTime;

unsigned long interval;

float tTHH = 35;

float tTHL = 10;

float hTHN = 95;

float hTHL = 50;

float oTHN = 21;

float oTHL = 20;

unsigned long lastSpray;

unsigned long lastUpdate;

bool refilling = false;

void setup()

//serial communication

Serial.begin(9600);

//pins

pinMode(s1, INPUT_PULLUP);

pinMode(s2, INPUT_PULLUP);

pinMode(green, OUTPUT);

pinMode(red, OUTPUT);

pinMode(fans, OUTPUT);

pinMode(spray, OUTPUT);
pinMode(refill, OUTPUT);

pinMode(wN, INPUT_PULLUP);

pinMode(wL, INPUT_PULLUP);

//initial values

digitalWrite(green, LOW);

digitalWrite(red, LOW);

digitalWrite(fans, LOW);

digitalWrite(spray, HIGH);

digitalWrite(refill, HIGH);

Serial.println("start");

//oxygen sensor

while (!Oxygen.begin(Oxygen_IICAddress)) {

Serial.println("I2c device number error !");

delay(1000);

Serial.println("I2c connect success !");

//lcd

lcd.init();

lcd.backlight();

lcd.setCursor(0, 0); lcd.print("SMART AEROPONICS");

lcd.setCursor(0, 1); lcd.print("BS ECE4A 2022");

delay(2000);
//dht

dht.begin();

//initial set up

lcd.setCursor(0, 0); lcd.print("PROCEED AFTER ");

lcd.setCursor(0, 1); lcd.print("SPRAY ADJUSTMENT");

delay(1000);

while (1)

lcd.setCursor(0, 0); lcd.print("S1 - PRIME SPRAY");

lcd.setCursor(0, 1); lcd.print("S2 - PROCEED ");

if (!digitalRead(s1))

digitalWrite(spray, LOW);

delay(2000);

digitalWrite(spray, HIGH);

break;

if (!digitalRead(s2))

break;

delay(500);
while (1)

lcd.setCursor(0, 0); lcd.print(" SELECT STAGE ");

lcd.setCursor(0, 1); lcd.print("----------------");

if (!digitalRead(s1))

lcd.setCursor(0, 0); lcd.print("STAGE 1 SELECTED");

lcd.setCursor(0, 1); lcd.print("----------------");

sprayTime = 3; //1 second

interval = 1; //3 minutes

break;

if (!digitalRead(s2))

lcd.setCursor(0, 0); lcd.print("STAGE 2 SELECTED");

lcd.setCursor(0, 1); lcd.print("----------------");

sprayTime = 3; //3 seconds

interval = 2; //5 minutes

break;

delay(500);

//initiate first spray

 interval = interval * 1000 * 60;

Serial.println(interval);

sprayTime = sprayTime * 1000;

Serial.println(sprayTime);

Serial.println("start spray");

digitalWrite(spray, LOW);

delay(sprayTime);

digitalWrite(spray, HIGH);

Serial.println("stop Spray");

lastSpray = millis();

//update and display temperature, humidity and oxygen

h = dht.readHumidity();

t = dht.readTemperature();

o = Oxygen.getOxygenData(COLLECT_NUMBER);

lcd.setCursor(0, 0); lcd.print("T:"); lcd.print(t, 2); lcd.print((char)223); lcd.print("C ");

lcd.print("H:"); lcd.print(h, 1); lcd.print("%");

lcd.setCursor(0, 1); lcd.print("Oxygen: "); lcd.print(o, 2) ; lcd.print("% ");

lastUpdate = millis();

void loop()

//check if it's time to spray water into the plants

 // interval = interval * 1000 * 60;

//update reading every 2 seconds

if (millis() > lastUpdate + 2000) //update display every 2 seconds

h = dht.readHumidity();

t = dht.readTemperature();

o = Oxygen.getOxygenData(COLLECT_NUMBER);

Serial.println("update");

lcd.setCursor(0, 0); lcd.print("T:"); lcd.print(t, 2); lcd.print((char)223); lcd.print("C ");

lcd.print("H:"); lcd.print(h, 1); lcd.print("%");

lcd.setCursor(0, 1); lcd.print("Oxygen: "); lcd.print(o, 2) ; lcd.print("% ");

lastUpdate = millis();

else if (millis() > lastSpray + interval)

if (refilling)

digitalWrite(refill, HIGH);

delay(1000);

Serial.print(millis());

Serial.print("\t");

Serial.println(lastSpray + interval);
 digitalWrite(spray, LOW);

delay(sprayTime);

digitalWrite(spray, HIGH);

lastSpray = millis();

if (refilling)

digitalWrite(refill, LOW);

delay(1000);

//check thresholds

if ((h < hTHN || o < oTHN) || (t > tTHH))

digitalWrite(fans, HIGH);

else if ((h > hTHL || o > oTHL) || (t > tTHL))

digitalWrite(fans, LOW);

//check if water is low

if (!digitalRead(wL))

delay(200);
 if (!digitalRead(wL))

refilling = true;

digitalWrite(green, LOW);

digitalWrite(red, HIGH);

digitalWrite(refill, LOW); //turn on refilling pump

delay(1000);

else if (!digitalRead(wN))

delay(200);

if (!digitalRead(wN))

refilling = false;

digitalWrite(green, HIGH);

digitalWrite(refill, HIGH); //turn off refilling pump

delay(1000);

digitalWrite(red, LOW);

digitalWrite(green, LOW);

}
JENDEL B. GARIBAY
084 Sitio Batisan, Gatid, Santa Cruz, Laguna, 4009
09224094854
garibayjendel@gmail.com

I. PERSONAL INFORMATION
Nickname: Jends Birthplace: Sta. Cruz, Laguna
Age: 22 Birthdate: July 21, 1999
Height: 5’2” Religion: Aglipayan
Weight: 55 kg Sex: Male

II. EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

Tertiary : Laguna State Polytechnic University - Santa Cruz Campus
Santa Cruz, Laguna
Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering
S.Y. 2018-Present

Secondary: Laguna Senior High School

Santa Cruz, Laguna
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
S.Y. 2016-2018

: Pedro Guevara Memorial National High School

Santa Cruz, Laguna
Special Science Curriculum
S.Y. 2012-2016

Finished junior high school with High Honors, Radio Broadcasting

and Scriptwriting – Ang Lagunian

Primary : Gatid Elementary School

Santa Cruz, Laguna
S.Y. 2004-2012
 Graduated as 2nd Honorable Mention, Division Qualifier of
HEKASI Quiz Bee (Group) and Science Investigatory Project
(Group), Radio Broadcasting and Scriptwriting – Pahatid

III. SPECIAL SKILLS

 Oriented in Microsoft Office Suite applications such as:
o MS Word
o MS Excel
o MS Powerpoint
 Capable of editing pictures, files and presentations using different
Microsoft Windows applications
 Knowledgeable in Matlab, Arduino, Circuit Wizard and MultiSim

IV. STRENGTHS
 Has a positive outlook towards the job and a team player with good
communication skills.
 Works efficiently and effectively under pressure, hardworking, and
responsible
 Sincere, patient, and flexible to any working schedule
 Can work with minimal supervision but still is willing to learn

V. ORGANIZATION/AFFILIATION

Institute of Electronics and Communications Engineers of the Philippines

CALABARZON and Laguna Chapter
Laguna State Polytechnic University
Sta. Cruz Laguna (2018-2022)

Electronics Engineering Student Society

Laguna State Polytechnic University
Sta. Cruz Laguna (2018-2022)

Engineering Society
Laguna State Polytechnic University
Sta. Cruz Laguna (2018-2022)

VI. REFERENCE

Engr. Jonnel K. Pabico

Dean of College of Engineering
Laguna State Polytechnic University

Engelyka B. Ballara, ECE, ECT

LSPU-SCC COE INSTRUCTOR
0999-794-8152
 Charize Angeli Lumidao-Magdael, ECE, ECT
LSPU-SCC COE INSTRUCTOR
0995-669-4110

I hereby certify that the above information is true and correct to the best of my
knowledge and belief.

JENDEL B. GARIBAY

MERVIN C. GESTIADA
14 Zamora Street Magdalena, Laguna
0928-156-0672
mervingestiada35@gmail.com

I. PERSONAL INFORMATION
Nickname: Mervs Birthplace: Magdalena, Laguna
Age: 22 Birthdate: September 22, 1999
Height: 5’6” Religion: Born Again Christian
Weight: 60 kg Sex: Male

II. EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

Tertiary : Laguna State Polytechnic University - Santa Cruz Campus
Santa Cruz, Laguna
Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering
S.Y. 2018-Present

Secondary: Trace College

Los Banos, Laguna
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
S.Y. 2016-2018

: Pedro Guevara Memorial National High School

Santa Cruz, Laguna
S.Y. 2012-2016

Primary : Ananias Laico Memorial Elementary School

Magdalena, Laguna
S.Y. 2006-2012

III. SPECIAL SKILLS

 Basic knowledge in AutoCAD
 Basic knowledge in MATLAB
 Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Excel
 Ability to prioritize and plan work effectively
  Basic knowledge in computers and editing.
 Critical thinking skills

IV. WORK/RELATED LEARNNG EXPERIENCE

Work Immersion (Year 2020)
Laboratory Assistant
Trace College
Los Banos, Laguna
V. ORGANIZATION/AFFILIATION

Institute of Electronics and Communications Engineers of the Philippines

CALABARZON and Laguna Chapter
Laguna State Polytechnic University
Sta. Cruz Laguna (2018-2022)

Electronics Engineering Student Society

Laguna State Polytechnic University
Sta. Cruz Laguna (2018-2022)

Engineering Society
Laguna State Polytechnic University
Sta. Cruz Laguna (2018-2022)

VI. REFERENCE

Engr. Jonnel K. Pabico

Dean of College of Engineering
Laguna State Polytechnic University

Engelyka B. Ballara, ECE, ECT

LSPU-SCC COE INSTRUCTOR
0999-794-8152

Charize Angeli Lumidao-Magdael, ECE, ECT

LSPU-SCC COE INSTRUCTOR
0995-669-4110

I hereby certify that the above information is true and correct to the best of my
knowledge and belief.

MERVIN C. GESTIADA
Pauline Khate L. Sarmiento
Sta. Cruz, Laguna, Philippines, 4009
0905-910-3775
pkhatesarmiento@gmail.com

I. PERSONAL INFORMATION
Nickname: Khate Birthplace: Sta. Cruz, Laguna
Age: 21 Birthdate: April 17, 2000
Height: 5’1” Religion: Aglipayan
Weight: 45 kg Sex: Female

II. EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

Tertiary : Laguna State Polytechnic University - Santa Cruz Campus
Santa Cruz, Laguna
Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering
S.Y. 2018-Present

Secondary: STI College - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, Laguna
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
S.Y. 2016-2018

: Pedro Guevara Memorial National High School

Santa Cruz, Laguna
S.Y. 2012-2016

Primary : Colegio Monterei de Pila

Pila, Laguna
S.Y. 2006-2012

III. SPECIAL SKILLS

 Goal oriented and hard-working student
 Possesses good interpersonal and communication skills
 Adjusted to any environment may encounter and to co-workers
 IV. WORK EXPERIENCE

PUPLIC EMPLOYMENT SERVICE OFFICE (PESO) LAGUNA

Provincial Government of Laguna
SPES 2016 to Present
WORK IMMERSION – Baranga. Calios Health Center
DOH Santa Cruz, Laguna
November 14, 2017-January 9, 2018
V. ORGANIZATION/AFFILIATION

Institute of Electronics and Communications Engineers of the Philippines

CALABARZON and Laguna Chapter
Laguna State Polytechnic University
Sta. Cruz Laguna (2018-2022)

Electronics Engineering Student Society

Laguna State Polytechnic University
Sta. Cruz Laguna (2018-2022)

Engineering Society
Laguna State Polytechnic University
Sta. Cruz Laguna (2018-2022)

VI. REFERENCE

Engr. Jonnel K. Pabico

Dean of College of Engineering
Laguna State Polytechnic University

Engelyka B. Ballara, ECE, ECT

LSPU-SCC COE INSTRUCTOR
0999-794-8152

Charize Angeli Lumidao-Magdael, ECE, ECT

LSPU-SCC COE INSTRUCTOR
0995-669-4110

I hereby certify that the above information is true and correct to the best of my
knowledge and belief.

PAULINE KHATE L. SARMIENTO