Switzerland-based smart gardening solutions company One Drop One Solutions is launching a solar energy powered domestic irrigation control system named ODO.
The system, the company claims, is appropriate for application in terrace gardens and the like.
According to a statement, the completely autonomous multi-valve smart irrigation system is able to save more than 7,000 liters of potable water each year even as it maintains the garden in a healthy state.
The water saved is the equivalent of twice the annual water needs of an individual in a developing nation according to a World Health Organization estimate.
ODO was designed in Italy and engineered in Switzerland. It includes a controller, a gateway, sensors and sprinklers and can be managed by means of a mobile application.
The system can be connected to 4 independent irrigation lines. And it works on low frequency data transmission protocol, which consumes little battery power and is five times more effective than Wi-Fi in terms of coverage.
ODO uses its connection to the internet to connect to One Drop One’s cloud services and compares weather forecasts contained therein with embedded sensor measurements.
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ODO controls efficiency of watering, and, in turn, the health of plants using the information.
The built-in sensors of ODO are able to detect air temperature and humidity, atmospheric pressure, temperature, soil fertility, humidity and ambient light. It allows ODO to know when and how much to irrigate plants.
The statement adds that the high-efficiency solar cells powering the device are able to work even in dim light.
ODO also does not require plugs or battery recharges and fits with existing irrigation systems and common faucet threads.
The company has stated that it is targeting price of $199 per unit and plans to start shipping by next March. The company has also approached Kickstarter, the global crowdfunding platform, for funding to develop the project.
Ajith Kumar S