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Indoor Farming Box

Indoor Farming Box is a smart, automated system that empowers urban dwellers to grow fresh vegetables at home using IoT, efficient fertigation, and sustainable design.

  • he Indoor Farming Box design began to define structure, function, and ease of assembly.

  • Smart, IoT farm box grows leafy greens indoors with auto care, IoT control & SDG 2 sustainability.

    Smart, IoT farm box grows leafy greens indoors with auto care, IoT control & SDG 2 sustainability.

  • Screening helped us select the best concept out of 10 based on goals, function, and feasibility.

  • Compact smart farm box with auto watering, lighting, IoT control, and real-time monitoring.

  • LED lights auto-triggered by LDR sensors when light is low; IoT dashboard confirms activation.

  • Dashboard shows real-time data, alerts, and controls for smart farming—supporting SDG 2 goals.

What it does

The Indoor Farming Box is a compact smart farming system that uses sensors and IoT to automate irrigation, fertigation, and lighting—helping urban users grow fresh, healthy vegetables with minimal effort.

Your inspiration

We were inspired to solve this problem after observing how urban dwellers struggle to grow their own food due to space constraints, inconsistent care, and lack of farming knowledge. The idea came during our university design project when we explored how automation and IoT could support self-sustaining agriculture in compact areas like apartments. We realized that a smart, user-friendly indoor farming system could empower people to grow healthy vegetables at home while addressing food security and sustainability challenges.

How it works

The Indoor Farming Box is a smart, compact farming system that automates irrigation, fertigation, and lighting using real-time sensors. Controlled via IoT, it enables efficient, low-maintenance vegetable growing in small urban spaces.

Design process

The Indoor Farming Box was created to address the challenge of growing fresh vegetables in urban homes, especially for people living in high-rise buildings with no access to gardening space. Many face issues like limited time, lack of agricultural knowledge, and unpredictable weather. Our goal was to develop an easy-to-use, compact solution that automates plant care using smart technology.After reviewing its limitations, we upgraded the frame using lightweight, corrosion-resistant aluminum profiles for better durability and modularity. We included caster wheels for mobility, plywood for base support, and acrylic for LED mounting.The next milestone was integrating the ESP32 microcontroller with sensors to detect soil moisture, NPK nutrients, temperature, humidity, water levels, and light intensity. A web interface was developed, allowing users to monitor real-time data, adjust settings, and trigger systems remotely.We iteratively tested each system from pump activation to drip nozzle distribution and improved sensor calibration and threshold logic. To prevent cross-contamination, one-way check valves were added. LED grow lights were tuned for leafy greens, and sustainability guided our choice of materials like PP trays and plywood.

How it is different

Our Indoor Farming Box is a smart, soil-based system with automated irrigation, fertigation, and real-time monitoring. Unlike typical hydroponic kits, it offers crop-specific control via IoT, dual-layer planting, and compact portability—ideal for modern urban home gardening.

Future plans

Our future plan is to enhance the Indoor Farming Box with wireless sensor modules and a mobile app to improve user experience and modularity. We aim to scale production via crowdfunding and pilot programs for urban homes, schools, and cafes. Collaborations with local agriculture and smart home sectors will expand impact. We also plan to integrate AI features like harvest prediction and solar-powered efficiency. Our ultimate goal is to offer an affordable, eco-friendly smart farming solution that supports SDG 2: Zero Hunger and empowers individuals to grow food sustainably at home.

Awards

This is our first time submitting the Indoor Farming Box for an international award. We look forward to gaining recognition through the James Dyson Award and using this opportunity to reach a wider audience.

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