Smart Self-Watering Pot
Using Soil-Moisture-Based Irrigation
Under the Guidance of
Professor Dr. Hareesh Kumar
Agenda & Summary
Project Overview Key Objectives
This presentation covers the Innovation and Design Define the engineering-design problem.
Thinking journey of creating a self-watering plant pot.
Detail the solution steps and prototyping.
•
Problem Identification Evaluate results and reflections.
•
Design Thinking Steps
•
Technical Implementation
•
Final Results
Introduction & Purpose
The Problem
Houseplants often suffer because owners forget to water them
or accidentally overwater them, leading to root rot. Manual
maintenance becomes a chore.
Our Purpose
To design a smart, automated system that takes the guesswork
out of gardening. We aim to help busy individuals, students, and
travelers keep their plants healthy with zero daily effort.
Empathy: Target Users & Pain Points
The Traveler The Busy Student The Over-Waterer
Pain Point: Anxiety about plants dying Pain Point: Forgetting to water during Pain Point: Killing plants by giving
while away on trips. exams or busy schedules. them too much water (root rot).
Needs: A system that works Needs: A "plug-and-play" low- Needs: Precise moisture control
autonomously for days or weeks. maintenance solution. without guesswork.
Define: Problem Statement
“ Plant owners struggle to consistently maintain the
correct moisture level in small pots because they
lack an easy, reliable way to monitor soil moisture
effectively.
Ideation: Choosing the Solution
Ideas Generated Why this Idea?
Visual water level windows.
Mechanical timers (unreliable for moisture). 1. Solves the Root Cause: It waters based on need (soil
dryness), not just time.
Smartphone apps (too complex/expensive).
2. Low Cost: Uses affordable components (Arduino, mini
Selected: Soil-moisture sensor triggers micro-pump.
pump).
3. Plant Health: Directly prevents both over and under-
watering.
Project Constraints & Resources
Project Scope Resources Used Constraints & Risks
Focus: Indoor potted plants. Arduino Uno R4 Power: Requires battery pack or wall outlet.
Goal: Automate watering for 1-2 weeks. Soil Moisture Sensor Calibration: Sensor values vary by soil type.
Risk: Sensor corrosion over time (requires
User: Non-technical home gardeners. Mini Submersible Pump & Tubing
maintenance).
Environment: Home/Office. Recyclable Plastic Reservoir, etc Safety: Keeping electronics dry near water.
Prototype: Technical
Details
How it Works
The system creates a continuous feedback loop:
1.
Sense: The moisture sensor continuously reads the soil's
resistance.
2.
Process: The Arduino compares the reading to a
calibrated threshold.
3.
Act: If soil is dry, the relay activates the pump.
4.
Stop: Once the sensor detects enough moisture, the
pump turns off.
Powered by C++ code on Arduino IDE.
Testing & Results
User Testing Report Final Revisions
Duration: 2 Days Based on user feedback, we implemented key
improvements:
Participants: Individuals with history of not taking good care
of plants. Added LED Indicator: Lights up red when water tank is
Feedback: low.
Code Calibration: Allowed easier threshold adjustment
•
Setup was easy.
for different soil types.
•
Pump activation was smooth. Eco-Friendly: Switched to recycled plastic bottles for the
• reservoir.
Users wanted to know when the reservoir was
empty.
Obstacles Encountered
Calibration Pump Timing Enclosure
Problem: Different plants have Problem: Pump ran too long, causing Problem: Exposed wires looked
different water needs. overflow. messy.
Solution: Created a calibration mode Solution: Implemented short "burst" Solution: Planning a 3D printed case
in code to set custom "Dry" and "Wet" watering with wait times to let water (Future Scope) to hide electronics.
limits. soak in.
Reflections & Future Scope
Skills Developed
•
Prototyping: Integrating hardware and software.
•
Teamwork: Coordinating tasks and debugging together.
•
Problem Solving: Fixing leaks and sensor errors.
What's Next?
We plan to add wireless monitoring (IoT) to track moisture levels from
a phone and let the users design a custom 3D-printed enclosure for a
sleeker look that fits their needs.
Thank you for listening
Team Metro Minds