Hydroponic farming is growing plants with nutrient enriched water and without soil. These mobile units can be in urban and rural settings and are seen as a solution to drought and pollution related agricultural challenges. This Year 3 Research Project builds on the team’s work from Year 2. Last year the researchers found that there is a need for indoor farming research focused on avoiding pathogens and developing models that are not region specific. For Year 3, the project will focus on developing digital-twin technologies for sustainable large-scale indoor farming, with a focus on hardware and real-world data gathering.

To understand and optimize these systems, the objective is to develop validated simulation and sensing tools to: (a) train the next generation of plant scientists, engineers and farmers to have skills in engineering, computer science & agriculture, and (b) develop innovative solutions for food security and pathogen control. This involves vertical farming panels of lettuce, herbs, hearty greens, etc., illuminated by high-efficiency LED grow lights, development of mobile software platforms which allow facility users to monitor, track and control various components in the unit. Part A specifically focuses on developing the led-driven pod-based hydroponic farming system, along with the design of sensors, cameras, drones, and robotics needed to gather data and develop models for the digital twin and consequent Performance-based Food Engineering (PBFE) simulations in Part B.

Learn more about our other indoor farming research projects.