App-Based Hydroponics

A group of Vietnamese researchers has developed an Internet of Things (IoT) system for hydroponic agriculture that can increase yields by up to 50 percent while reducing time-to-harvest to 30 percent of what is normally required.

The comprehensive system was developed in a cooperative effort between information technology and agriculture experts with a goal of improving food quality and cleanliness. It consists of three main parts: the hydroponic components (which are similar to any other hydroponic system, i.e., tanks, tubes, pumps and lights), a network of IoT sensors and hardware that monitor and control environmental conditions, and a smartphone app that’s compatible with Android and iOS platforms. The system enables users to monitor and adjust humidity, temperature and light levels remotely for optimal growing conditions.

The app is priced at $220 to $440 for the farming version and $90 to $130 for the home version. Within a month of commercialization, it received two prestigious awards for “Best Agricultural Project” and “Most Potential Startup Project.” It is currently in use at about 50 locations around Vietnam.