FRENCH UNIVERSITY IN ARMENIA

Faculty of Applied Mathematics and Informatics

Subject Project S1

Student Mariam GHEVONDYAN Student Number 202305091

Teacher Narek MARGARYAN

December 19, 2024

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Contents

Summary ............................................................................................................................................... 3
 Brief overview of the project objectives, scope, and significance .................................................. 3
 Key outcomes or current status of the project ............................................................................... 3
Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 4
 Project background and context.................................................................................................... 4
 Problem statement and objectives ................................................................................................. 4
 Description of target audience and end users ................................................................................ 5
 Outline of report structure ............................................................................................................ 5
Methodology .......................................................................................................................................... 6
 Project planning and development process ................................................................................... 6
 Tools and technologies used ......................................................................................................... 6
 ADA compliance considerations and implementation ................................................................... 6
Research and Analysis ........................................................................................................................... 7
 Literature review or research conducted to support the project ...................................................... 7
 Comparative analysis of similar systems or solutions ................................................................... 7
 Challenges and insights gained from the research phase ............................................................... 8
Work in Progress ................................................................................................................................... 9
 Detailed description of tasks completed so far .............................................................................. 9
 Challenges faced and solutions applied ...................................................................................... 13
Lessons Learned .................................................................................................................................. 14
 Insights gained from each completed task................................................................................... 14
 How challenges were addressed and lessons that can be applied to future tasks .......................... 14
 Reflections on the effectiveness of chosen tools and methods ..................................................... 14
Critical Self-Reflection ........................................................................................................................ 15
 Individual reflections on task contributions ................................................................................ 15
Future Work ........................................................................................................................................ 16
 Unresolved issues or challenges ................................................................................................. 16
 Features or enhancements planned for the future ........................................................................ 16
 Suggestions for improving the development process ................................................................... 16
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References ............................................................................................................................................ 17
Appendices ........................................................................................................................................... 18
Link to GitHub repository:................................................................................................................. 18
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Summary

 Brief overview of the project objectives, scope, and significance

The project aims to create a smart farming system using IoT sensors to improve farming by
tracking soil, crops, and weather and other matters as well. It focuses on collecting and analyzing
real-time data to help farmers make better decisions. The system is flexible and works for farms
of different sizes. It solves problems like managing resources and dealing with changing weather,
making farming more sustainable. This helps farmers grow more, waste less, and supports food
production worldwide.

 Key outcomes or current status of the project

The current status of the project includes the successful development and integration of the
system components, including the sensors and other components. It can be said that the system is
fully functional and the project is in its final stages.
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Introduction

 Project background and context

Agriculture remains one of the most vital industries worldwide, being number one supporting
human survival and economic stability. The development of a Smart Agriculture System that uses
IoT (Internet of Things) can become a great revolution in today’s life.

Briefly said, this industry faces some significant challenges including resource scarcity, climate
change, and increasing food demand and many other challenges to cope with. Some traditional
methods often lead to some difficulties and some loss, for example overuse of recourses such as
water, fertilizers and many other significant matters.

By analyzing weather patterns, utilizing smart irrigation, and managing crop health, resource use
and resilience to environmental stress is enhanced. The IoT technology offers us new solutions to
these kinds of challenges.

 Problem statement and objectives

People, mainly the farmers, often face issues such as inefficient resource use, waste of time and
energy, unpredictable weather and many other problems, which result in environmental and also
financial harm. The scarcity of real-time data can be considered as the center of this enormous
problem.

A smart, data-driven solution is needed to address these issues effectively which is the main goal
of this project. Some of the key objectives are crop health management with the integration of
sensor data to identify early signs, real-time monitoring with real-time alerts again with the usage
of IoT sensors and finally data collection and analysis. With the focus on IoT sensors, the system
will ensure us precise and up to date data for further enhancement.
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 Description of target audience and end users

Target audience
This involves a broad range of individuals, organizations, and communities such as farmers
managing small plots of land, typically in rural areas, large-scale agricultural businesses focusing
on high-efficiency farming. Governments often fund and promote agricultural programs. And
agricultural researchers also who rely on accuracy of the data gathered from the system.

End user

These are the individuals who directly engage with the system themselves. The main end users are
farmers, ranging from smallholder to commercial farmers, agronomists and field technicians
provide expertise on crop growth and are end user as well.

 Outline of report structure

The report provides a summary of the project's objectives, scope, and current status. It includes an
introduction outlining the project's background, problem statement, and target audience. The
methodology covers the planning and development process, while research and analysis discuss
the literature review, challenges, and insights. The work in progress section details completed tasks
and challenges faced. Lessons learned, self-reflection, and future work plans, including unresolved
issues and feature enhancements, are also addressed. Finally, the report concludes with references.
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Methodology

 Project planning and development process

The project followed an Agile type of method and development approach, emphasizing flexibility
and iterative progress. The planning and development process began with defining the project
scope, objectives, and target audience. Tasks were broken into manageable sprints, with regular
reviews and adjustments to ensure the project stayed on track .

 Tools and technologies used

In this project used tools and technologies are:

- AI based tools for analysis

- Arduino IDE

- Tinkercad stimulator

- WOKWi stimulator

- Word

 ADA compliance considerations and implementation

Unfortunately, there was no implementation of ADA compliance in current work done but this
will be taken into account for future workas it is mentioned in the following title ‘Future Work’.
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Research and Analysis

 Literature review or research conducted to support the project

The very first research conducted was about IoT sensors and their ways of application, specifically
in agricultural systems. It can be said that this research was the main base of the project. This phase
focused on understanding the types of sensors available, their technical specifications, and how
they can be integrated. Further research concerning agricultural system implementation followed
the prior one. Moreover, during the research particular attention was given to the integration of
multiple sensors. Following the analysis of existing systems, further research focused on
identifying gaps and challenges faced, which will be discussed in the following subtitle point.

 Comparative analysis of similar systems or solutions

In the comparative analysis, several existing smart farming systems were evaluated based on their
use of IoT technology, sensor integration, and data analytics. Key systems like ‘John Deere's
Precision Agriculture’ and ‘CropX’ were examined for their functionalities, including real-time
soil monitoring, weather data integration, and automated irrigation systems. While these systems
provide comprehensive solutions, they often come with high costs and complex integration
challenges. In contrast, our proposed system aims to offer a more cost-effective, scalable solution
with offline capabilities, enhanced sensor integration, and predictive analytics to fill gaps observed
in the existing solutions, such as improved user interfaces and lower operational costs. This
comparison helped identify critical features to enhance our system’s efficiency and accessibility.
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 Challenges and insights gained from the research phase

The research phase highlighted challenges such as the high cost, difficulties in integrating multiple
devices, and issues with data accuracy. Insights emphasized the need for a cost-effective,
integrated solution with offline capabilities, predictive analytics, and intuitive interfaces to address
these gaps.
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Work in Progress

 Detailed description of tasks completed so far

Firstly, starting from IoT sensors and microcontrollers acquaintance with their types and their
functionalities, we were introduced to the theoretical part of the project which included the
problem statement and discussions referring to its problem-solving ways and methods.

After thoroughly covering the theoretical part, we moved to the practical part by starting from
simple tasks carried virtually, for instance we started to try to get to know the components
(microcontrollers, sensors, etc.) manually, by ourselves.

For example, one of the easy-task examples was to work with the microcontroller called Arduino
Uno and connect to it RGB LED light in Tinkercad stimulator. The following is the circuit with
its code:

Where the light of the RGB LED light was changing from red to green to blue with 1000
milliseconds delays.
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Another example is this circuit where was integrated another component called Ultrasonic distance
sensor, again with the RGB LED light to indicate the distance.

Ultrasonic Sensor sends a short ultrasonic pulse and measures the time it takes to receive the echo
back and the distance is calculated by converting the echo duration using the speed of sound. As
the object is close the green light turns on if it is in the middle the blue one turns on and when it is
far red one goes on.

Here is the same circuit built with ESP32 microcontroller instead of Arduino UNO
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These were just a few simple examples. Like so we got more in detail and worked with more and
more complicated circuits adding more components each time.

After all this, we managed to work with real components in real life and use our knowledge
purchased during this whole time.

The following circuit can be considered as a final lookalike project.

It is a lookalike as Tinkercad lack some other essential components for this circuit to be whole.
This circuit includes:

-Arduino UNO

 Acts as the brain of the system, processing data from the sensors and controlling the
connected devices (e.g., the relay for irrigation).
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 It reads the inputs from the soil moisture sensor and temperature sensor and decides
whether to activate or deactivate the water pump.

- Soil Moisture Sensor

 Measures the moisture level of the soil.

 Sends data to the Arduino to determine if the soil is too dry and needs watering.

- Temperature Sensor (TMP36)

 Detects the ambient temperature around the circuit.

 Provides data to monitor environmental conditions that could affect crop health.

- Relay Module (KS2E-M-DC5)

 Functions as a switch that controls high-power devices (like a water pump) using a low-
power signal from the Arduino.
 It turns the pump on or off based on the Arduino’s instructions, ensuring water is supplied
only when needed.

- Water Pump (Controlled by the Relay)

 Pumps water to irrigate crops when the soil moisture is low.

 pumping when the soil has enough water, as instructed by the relay.

As a final task I was responsible for the observation of the functionality of the LCD Display
component. LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) is commonly used in smart agricultural systems to
provide real-time visual feedback to users. The LCD can display alerts, such as when irrigation is
needed or when certain thresholds (e.g., temperature or soil moisture) are exceeded. LCD displays
come in several types, including Character LCD for simple text, Graphic LCD for more complex
visuals and data, and TFT LCD for high-resolution, full-color graphics. OLED offers better
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contrast and lower power consumption, while Segment LCDs are used for displaying simple
numbers or indicators. Each type is chosen based on the display's complexity, resolution, and
power requirements.

Just for a simple example I used the LCD Display in the circuit with Arduino Uno and Ultrasonic
distance sensor.

 Challenges faced and solutions applied

One of the challenges that I have faced was the lack of information which was covered through
research and with the help of Our lecturer. Moreover, some issues related to integration of
multiple sensors and the code were also faced, which were again covered with the questions
answered by Our lecturer and with the help of Chat GPT as well.
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Lessons Learned

 Insights gained from each completed task

For me personally, each completed task and almost everything done within this course had an
enormous impact on my knowledge in this kind of field as I did not use to have any clue referring
to this sort of matter, so I can state that it was a true discovery for me, which may become further
passion of mine.

 How challenges were addressed and lessons that can be applied to future
tasks

Actively completing thorough research can help to reduce uncertainty early on.
Seeking expert advice and employing accessible tools can help quickly correct technological
issues. Collaboration and the use of numerous resources can help ensure that activities are
completed on time, especially when they are complex. These are the lessons that I should apply to
future tasks.

 Reflections on the effectiveness of chosen tools and methods

The combination of traditional learning methods and modern digital tools had the most powerful
and effective project challenges management.
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Critical Self-Reflection

 Individual reflections on task contributions

Once again, I was able to put in usage my problem-solving skills by identifying and addressing
challenges promptly with creative solutions. Talking about what went well I can say that the project
was completed on time and met its almost every expectation despite the time scarcity.

What could have been improved? I'd like to point out that the time given to this assignment was
insufficient, and it required considerably more time.

The main skills gained and developed during this project was again problem-solving, time
management and also teamwork, even though our final project was not group work we still worked
in groups helping each other during this course.
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Future Work

 Unresolved issues or challenges

There were no unresolved issues left from the previous work conducted. Talking about further
challenges, they may appear as we are planning to enlarge our project (in the mean of sensors)
and to integrate many more ideas concerning smart agriculture systems.

 Features or enhancements planned for the future

Regarding my personal plans, I was concerned about the ADA compliance, so my first goal for
future work will be the latter’s integration. Another goal of mine will be to make the system more
and more smart by integration of other components.

 Suggestions for improving the development process

My only suggestion is more time management and dedication to this project so that we will be able
to concentrated more on the system improvement and development of course with the help of our
lecturer.
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References

https://www.arduino.cc/

Tinkercad - Create 3D digital designs with online CAD

Wokwi - World's most advanced ESP32 Simulator

https://www.youtube.com/

https://www.wikipedia.org

ChatGPT

https://www.google.com/
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Appendices

Link to GitHub repository:

https://codespaces.new/mariam010101/ProjectS1