Students invent wireless monitor for greenhouses

A group of engineering students has invented a wireless system to control greenhouse environments, inviting industry to come forward for its development for commercial purposes.

Using a personal computer and micro-controllers, the system can control temperature, humidity, light, and soil moisture in a greenhouse. Dr Abdullah Al Amiri, Head of the Training and Graduation Programme Unit at the College of Engineering in the UAE University (UAEU), yesterday said it is an important invention for the agricultural sector.

The inventors belong to the Department of Electrical Engine-ering of the college and their project was part of the university's Intensive Training Programme (ITP), designed to provide practical experience to the students. The project was supervised by Dr Mousa Hussain and the team of students, including Mohammed Sheqfa, Khalid Al Hammadi, Omar Ahmed and Ahmed Rashid.

Dr Al Amiri said: "Our unit extends an invitation to industry at large to collaborate on further developing the prototype into commercial products based on feasibility studies."

Explaining the new system, he said it consists of two main sites, including a control station and a greenhouse. The control station has computers with software interface which shows weather conditions.

The two sites, located far from each other, are linked via a wireless communications circuit and sensors are installed in the greenhouse.

A number of other devices are used as actuators to control the weather conditions.

These actuators and sensors are interfaced with the micro-controllers.

A prototype of the system run on an experimental basis showed excellent results. The system provides user-friendly computer software, giving operational controls to the devices in inside the greenhouse. He said the system was built on a stand-along project board with necessary components and accessories like power supply, an LCD monitor, serial ports and a keypad.

Dr Al Amiri explained that the ITP is an integral part of the studies that are considered a joint venture among the faculty, senior students and industry. It results in implementing professional engineering design practices to benefit the community.

The unit also yesterday organised a final presentation day for students at Al Jimi Campus of the UAEU.

A batch of 113 students, who worked on 32 projects related to industrial applications, were given certificates upon completion of their training. The batch includes 58 male and 55 female students.

The ITP is mandatory for all engineering students under which they spend 15 weeks in relevant field to earn fifteen credit hours. The students are also required to give a final report and a presentation before a jury at the end of their training.