Controlled plant growth, steered from the cloud

The task

We developed an embedded IoT system for controlled plant growth for an urban gardening start-up.

The client wanted all of the system's parameters to come together in a cloud: water level, lighting settings and more. They form the basis for analyses that improve the product and extend the product range.

The solution

Firmware updates are also distributed in a controlled way directly from the cloud. At the core of the embedded software is our IoT stack, which handles certificate management, encryption, the protocol and firmware updates.

It is built on FreeRTOS and semf, our C++ framework. Communication between the cloud and the microcontroller is encrypted and runs through the certificate management.

The electronics are designed for cost efficiency: microcontrollers with integrated network interfaces shorten development time and make regulatory approval of IoT devices easier. We carried out the project with two cooperation partners, one for mechanical design and one for the app.