Wireless actuator node for greenhouse microclimate control

Agriculture has one of the most important roles in society because it provides the food source for the population. Many agricultural activities can be highly enhanced by using digital technologies. In greenhouse farming, all environmental parameters can be adjusted based on crops types. Automation in the greenhouse is a method where farmers are able to monitor and control the greenhouse environment automatically from anywhere in the world at any time. This paper presents a wireless actuator node to control the greenhouse system through the Internet of Things (IoT). The node provides outputs for different types of actuators that can usually be found in a greenhouse and it can be controlled using numerous specific communication protocols. The prototype was tested under various scenarios in our laboratory and the experimental results were found as expected. The actuator node functionality was also tested in the greenhouse and demonstrates that it can be used to operate in a real-world environment for optimum control of microclimate conditions.