IoT = Internet of Things
The Internet of things is a term used to describe modern systems of interconnected devices via a network. The devices are able to send and transmit data via the network and will often answer to a central server (or multiple) that stores and computes data. IID, who is in charge of the canal systems in our valley, use GPS controlled locks and dams to monitor the flow of water remotely, which is a good example of an IoT system.
Arduino to handle sensors and hardware.
An Arduino is a microcontroller that can hook up to a computer via USB which allows you to upload code to it. The code can operate the multiple I/O pins on the controller which are used to read sensors or control servos, motors and relays (which can turn other hardware on and off).
We use an Arduino Mega to monitor the tempurature and humidity in multiple areas to determine when to activate the misting system, and for how long. As we get more sensors, we will add the ability to monitor wind speed and direction, rain, UV and track the sun in the sky to align solar panels automatically.
Raspberry Pi takes care of the data.
At the heart of our system is a Raspberry Pi 4 running Ubuntu Server, a Linux distribution. The Pi acts as our central server, storing information in multiple databases and sending updates to our web server using Python scripts. It also houses a local, browser based dashboard for us to view our system's information and update it's settings.
The web dashboard residing on the Raspberry Pi has many functions including incubator monitoring, livestock lists and medical records, beehive logging and data, battery/solar maintenance reminders and weather information and charts.
Chicken/Duck/Human Misting System
CurrentOur chickens, ducks and now other parts of the structure are kept cool during the hot summers with our custom built misting system. The system monitors the current temperature and starts misting the birds and other areas once it reaches 100 degrees. As the temperature moves higher than 100 degrees, the system adjusts the frequency and duration of misting.
Climate Monitoring
CurrentGiven the extreme climate in Slab City, we put a lot of effort towards monitoring it. The data we collect helps our other systems (like misting and power management) perform accordingly. That information is stored at RabbitSide on our local server and is added to our website every half hour here. As we add more sensors and upgrades we'll be able to give more accurate weather data for Slab City and make comparisons to previous years or even make predictions based on weather patterns!
Power Usage Management
CurrentMany of our pumps and appliances are controlled by our system. Since we rely on solar power, we only run certain devices during the day when power is most abundant. Our software makes sure things like fridges, freezers and pond pumps only run when we want them to, and not sucking up power at night.
Egg Inventory
CurrentWe built a simple web app to be able to input egg counts into a database as we collect them, and to document when we remove eggs from that inventory to sell them, give them away, eat them or if they go bad or get broken. We can later look back and see how many eggs we produced over the year and when the birds are laying vs not laying. Since we have a constantly updated database of our inventory of eggs, we are able to have that dynamically update a list on this website so people can see if we have eggs available for sale before coming by. Soon, we'll have the software automatically post our egg inventory to facebook whenever it reaches a certain quantity threshold.
Beehive Monitoring
FutureWe keep an eye on our bees' health by doing external and internal checks at different intervals. We can tell a lot by monitoring the flow of bee traffic in and out of the hive and checking how many bees have pollen on their legs to indicate how available food is for them. When the pollen stops flowing, we start adding feeders to the hives. We can automate this by adding a Raspberry Pi and a camera. Using an artificial neural network, the Pi can detect bees with the camera, count them and tell if they have pollen on their legs or not, giving us a real time view of our hives' health.
Adaptive Ventilation
FutureOur structure is very covered up to deal with the summer heat but in the winter, it's quite cold in here! Adding rooftop hatches will allow us to let sunlight in throughout the day during the winter, then close the hatches at night to trap in the heat. We can also use them in the summer to block the sun all day and then when the sun goes down, open up to let all the trapped heat escape the structure and allow the inside temperature to equalize and cool down with the outside.
Solar Tracking
CurrentOur solar panels are mounted flat on our roof in the summer, and angled a few degrees to the south in the winter but otherwise stay motionless. They are most efficient when the sun hits them straight on so tilting them throughout the day to follow the sun will give you a much greater efficiency. We wrote an algorithm to take the sunrise, sunset and high noon to determine where the sun is in the sky and relay that information to linear actuators (from electric recliners) which will angle the panels accordingly.
Garden Irrigation
FutureBy adding soil moisture sensors we can tell when our gardens need watering electronically. Through software we can declare zones and set parameters to follow and have the system water the different gardens using solenoid valves and irrigation drippers/misters. The software can change the amount and frequency it waters with the changing seasons and make sure we don't waste water and that we don't sleep in too late, forget to water, and roast some plants!
Water Tank Levels
CurrentWe have multiple 300 gallon tanks for water storage here and using sensors to monitor their levels ensures we don't overlook a low tank and potentially run out of water somewhere. There are many ways to measure water in a tank and we have settled on using sound waves. An ultrasonic sensor sends a pulse towards the surface of the water and measures the time it takes to bounce back. That information is then converted to distance which in turn tells us how full the tanks are. We can then have tanks auto-fill from one another or pumps only turn on if the water level is high enough.
Battery Voltage Monitoring
FutureWe keep a close eye on the health of our batteries as they are the heart of our electrical system. We already use our software to schedule maintenence tasks and give reminders to check fluid levels. Another way to monitor our batteries is through placing current sensors on each battery to be able to see how well they are all performing individually, as well as a group. This will help us know when it's time to retire or replace batteries as they age.
WATERSHIP v2.0
Our custom, desert oasis automation and monitoring software
Our camp automation system runs on software we wrote here at RabbitSide. Our website, local server and microcontrollers all have custom software and all work together to collect data and make decisions based on sensor data and conditions we have set. Many hours and thousands of lines of code have gone into WATERSHIP and we have only just started. As we acquire more sensors and hardware, more will be controlled by WATERSHIP and the software will become even more robust!
Become a Collaborator!
You can help by collaborating on individual projects with us. Acquiring resources is the main obstacle in the way of us doing a lot of the things we want to do here and your contributions can help turn dreams and ideas into a reality. We offer many options for contributing, large and small, and collaborators get exclusive things mailed to them as a thank you.
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