Prediction-AI
IoT-Platform
smart tree watering
Challenge
Smart City describes development concepts that aim to make cities more efficient, technologically advanced, environmentally friendly and socially inclusive.
As part of Mönchengladbach, we have tasked ourselves with developing a smart tree irrigation system. By providing information about the position and watering status of all trees in the city, the aim is to plan more efficient routes for watering, thus saving resources.
Solution
Currently, tree irrigation in cities is still very inefficient because there are only fixed routes in which the city’s trees are irrigated on a fixed schedule. Irrigation ignores soil conditions and the tree’s need for water.
Since this approach wastes a lot of resources such as water, labor and fuel, we started developing a sensor. This is buried below the soil of the tree to obtain data on the location, temperature, conductivity, and soil moisture of the tree roots.
For the transmission of the data we used LoRaWAN, because it is characterized by its high range. Thus, it is possible to ensure the data transmission of all trees in the city. In order to access and analyze the transmitted data, we developed an IoT platform that displays the measured values in a simple and clear way. Based on this data, it is possible to recognize which trees should be watered and which shouldn’t. As a result, routes can be planned based on need to ensure sustainable and healthy tree watering. If necessary, additional sensors can be easily attached and set up and installed using our specially developed app.
Due to our agile product development, we were able to realize the smart tree irrigation from the idea to completion within one month.
Attaching the sensor and reading out the data is very simple through our application, and allows the project to be effectively included as part of the city’s tree watering system.
During the project we were able to use and develop a wide range of technologies, software and hardware, to improve the process in a gentle and sustainable way.
