A Personalized and Smart Flowerpot Enabled by 3D Printing and Cloud Technology for Ornamental Horticulture

Sensors (Basel). 2023 Jul 3;23(13):6116. doi: 10.3390/s23136116.

Abstract

This paper presents a personalized and smart flowerpot for ornamental horticulture, integrating 3D printing and cloud technology to address existing design limitations and enable real-time monitoring of environmental parameters in plant cultivation. While 3D printing and cloud technology have seen widespread adoption across industries, their combined application in agriculture, particularly in ornamental horticulture, remains relatively unexplored. To bridge this gap, we developed a flowerpot that maximizes space utilization, simplicity, personalization, and aesthetic appeal. The shell was fabricated using fused deposition modeling (FDM) in 3D printing, and an Arduino-based control framework with sensors was implemented to monitor critical growth factors such as soil moisture, temperature, humidity, and light intensity. Real-time data are transmitted to the Bamfa Cloud through Wi-Fi, and a mobile application provides users with instant access to data and control over watering and lighting adjustments. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of the smart flowerpot in enabling automated monitoring of plant growth and environmental control. This innovation holds significant promise for advancing smart device development in ornamental horticulture and other related fields, enhancing efficiency, plant health, and overall user experience. Future research in this area has the potential to revolutionize horticultural practices and contribute to the advancement of smart agriculture.

Keywords: automatic control; real-time monitor; sensors; smart flowerpot.

MeSH terms

  • Cloud Computing*
  • Horticulture
  • Mobile Applications*
  • Printing, Three-Dimensional
  • Temperature