I-Corps: Intelligent Hydroponics Growing Platform for Sustainable Agriculture

I-Corps：可持续农业的智能水培种植平台

• 批准号: 2345854
• 负责人: Hongbo Zhang
• 金额: $ 5万
• 依托单位: Middle Tennessee State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2024-02-01 至 2025-01-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2345854&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Corps; Intelligent; Hydroponics; Growing; Platform

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is that it is expected to increase food yield and water savings in contrast to soil-based growth. The automation function of the technology may also help resolve the labor shortage challenge associated with traditional farming. Sensor data could reduce pest control costs, which to date has been a major challenge associated with hydroponics farms. Automated hydroponics growing methods could improve the sustainability of agriculture and support both indoor and outdoor hydroponics growth systems, enabling farmers to grow a rich variety of crops more efficiently. This I-Corps project is based on a contactless miniature laser imaging method to detect precise hydroponics nutrient levels. The contactless sensor detects growth media reflection and scattering efficiency to characterize composition. The technology features integration of multiple sources of data for optimal growth control decision-making. Sensor data includes temperature, humidity, supplied water amount, light, plant stress, disease conditions and water level. This data is used to generate a smart plant growth model using a deep reinforcement learning method. A chemical-free, ultraviolet-C (UVC) panel will be used to monitor pest control, one of the key challenges of growing organic crops. It is expected that the technology may reduce labor costs by 40% and the utilization of resources (e.g. water, nutrition and electricity) by 15%.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

该 I-Corps 项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是，与基于土壤的增长相比，预计它将增加粮食产量和节水。该技术的自动化功能还可能有助于解决与传统农业相关的劳动力短缺挑战。 传感器数据可以降低害虫防治成本，迄今为止这一直是水培农场面临的主要挑战。 自动化水培种植方法可以提高农业的可持续性，并支持室内和室外水培生长系统，使农民能够更有效地种植丰富多样的作物。该 I-Corps 项目基于非接触式微型激光成像方法来检测精确的水培营养水平。非接触式传感器检测生长介质的反射和散射效率以表征成分。该技术的特点是整合多个数据源，以实现最佳的生长控制决策。传感器数据包括温度、湿度、供水量、光照、植物胁迫、疾病状况和水位。 该数据用于使用深度强化学习方法生成智能植物生长模型。不含化学品的紫外线 C (UVC) 面板将用于监测害虫防治，这是种植有机作物的主要挑战之一。预计该技术可降低 40% 的劳动力成本，降低 15% 的资源（如水、营养和电力）利用率。该奖项体现了 NSF 的法定使命，通过基金会的智力价值评估，认为值得支持以及更广泛的影响审查标准。