Intelligent Outdoor Aquaponics with Automated Grow Lights and Internet of Things

Due to rapid urbanisation and population growth, food security and sustainability has become a primary concern for Singapore and many countries in recent years. This paper attempts to design and build an intelligent outdoor aquaponics system with automated grow lights and internet of things. Depending on the ambient light intensity, the grow lights automatically turn on or off, which reduce electricity consumption while ensuring adequate light intensity for plant growth. Furthermore, the system condition is continuously monitored, and the system operation is automatically controlled by means of interconnected sensors unit, actuators unit, alerts and notifications unit, central control and processing unit, and graphical user interfaces for web and desktop applications. Any abnormal condition will trigger an early warning to the user and activate respective actuator for rectification with minimum human intervention, which ensures a healthy environment for growing plants and fish, as evidenced in regression analyses. In addition, sensor data are sent to the Google cloud platform for easy storage, analysis, and visualisation. A secure login feature is also included in the system to strengthen cybersecurity. This proposed high-tech and high-yield aquaponics can potentially improve food security and sustainability, with reduced human labour and operating costs, increasing the liveability of cities and urban areas.