Tinkercad Humidity Sensor / Mini Greenhouse ME208 - University of Kansas

FULL VIDEO IS INCLUDED IN THE INTRODUCTION MEDIA! This project was created by 4 students at the University of Kansas for our ME208 class. It is aim is to allow middle school aged students to gain a hands on experience and introduction to coding. During this project you will build a miniature greenhouse capable of growing purple kale or similar plants. Code and a soil sensor that detects the soils moisture level will correlate with three lights, red, yellow, and red. These lights will represent the soils moisture level with all three on representing a good moisture level. Yellow meaning the plant will need water soon, and red meaning the plant needs water now. A button will also be on the breadboard that activates the servo motor dial, a green LED will come on to correspond the dial has began and is running. Over an 8 hour period the dial will turn 180 degrees, when it is fully turned this means the timer is up. The purpose of the timer is to give the plant sunlight or artificial light during the 8 hour period over which it runs.

Supplies

Materials To Build Greenhouse

• 50 Feet Aluminum Wire
• 1 foam poster board
• 1 Purple kale plant (or plant you desire)
• 1 Plant Grow Light with a clamp ( can buy at Walmart for $20 or Amazon for $5-$10
• 1 Pair Scissors
• 1 Tape Measurer / Meter Stick
• 1 Pencil / sharpie
• Packing Tape
• 1 command strip (optional)

Materials to Run Code (Arduino Spark Kit)

• Humidity sensor
• Servo Motor
• 4 LED: 1 red, 1 yellow, 2 green
• 10 Ground, 10 Power, 2 Signal Wires
• 4 Resistors
• 1 Button

Step 1: CUT BOARD FOR GREENHOUSE BASE

STEP 1: use the tape measurer and pencil/sharpie to measure and mark 20in x 20in dimensions on your poster board. Cut the poster board to match these 20in x 20in. Don't worry if your cut is not perfect.

Step 2: CUT ALUMINUM WIRE FOR MAIN STRUCTURE

STEP 2: Cut three pieces of aluminum wire approximately 4 feet long. Do the best you can to make sure all three wires are equal length. These will become the arches for our greenhouse structure.

Step 3: SHAPE 3 MAIN WIRE ARCHES FOR GREENHOUSE STRUCTURE

STEP 3: USE ONE OF THE 4 FOOT WIRES, POKE ALUMINUM WIRE THROUGH POSTER BOARD AND BACK THROUGH AGAIN BEND SO THAT WIRE IS FIRMLY IN PLACE.REPEAT THE SAME THING WITH OTHER TWO 4 FOOT WIRES. PLACE THEM PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER. ONEON EACH END, ONE IN THE MIDDLE.

Step 4: CUT COLUMNS TO SUPPORT ARCHES

STEP 4: CUT THREE WIRES 4-6in ABOVE THE ARCH AT ITS MAXIMUM HEIGHT ( THIS SHOULD BE THE CENTER OR NEAR IT).

Step 5: ADD SUPPORT COLUMNS TO ARCHES

STEP 5: ADD SUPPORT ARCHES IN THE MIDDLE/HIGHEST SPOT ON ARCH. HOOK AROUND THE BOTTOM USING THE SAME TECHNIQUE AS THE ARCHES WERE PLACED WITH.

Step 6: CUT FOUR, 14 INCH WIRES TO CONNECT THE THREE ARCHES ACROSS THE TOP

STEP 6: Cut four wires approximately 14 inches or 4 inches longer than the separation length between the top of your arches. Make sure you do not cut them short, you will need the extra 4 inches of wire.

Step 7: CONNECT THE ARCHES ACROSS THE TOP WITH THE FOUR, 14 INCH WIRES

STEP 7: CONNECT 14in WIRES TWO BETWEEN BOTH OF THE GAPS BETWEEN ARCHES. SPACE THE TWO WIRES FOR EACH GAP PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER AT HIGH POINTS ON THE ARCH

Step 8: CUT 40in X 50in PLASTIC SHEET FOR GREENHOUSE COVER

STEP 8: CUT 40in x 50in GREENHOUSE COVER. DOES NOT NEED TO BE PERFECT. BETTER TO BE OVERSIZED THAN UNDER.

Step 9: ATTACH GREENHOUSE COVER

STEP 9: PLACE 40 X 50 in COVER OVER GREEN- HOUSE. MAKE SURE IT IS FULLY COVERED EXCEPT FOR ARCH SHAPED SIDES. TAPE SHEET TIGHTLY AROUND FRAME. TRIM ARCH SHAPED OPENINGS.

Step 10: TRIM AND TAPE EDGES OF GREENHOUSE COVER TO WIRES

STEP 10: TAPE EXCESS PLASTIC COVERING AROUND WIRES TO ADD STABILITY TO THE STRUCTURE. DO THIS AROUND BOTH ARCH SHAPED OPENINGS AND ANYWHERE ELSE NECESSARY.

Step 11: CUT TWO 20in X 30in SHEETS FOR GREENHOUSE WALLS

STEP 11: CUT TWO 20x30in PLASTIC SHEETS BE CAREFUL TO NOT UNDERCUT HAVING TO MUCH IS OKAY.

Step 12: TAPE AND TRIM ONE WALL FULLY

STEP 12: TAPE ONE OF TWO 20x30in COVERS DOWN AROUND ARCH OPENING AND TO BOTTOM OF BOARD. TRIM EXCESS PLASTIC.

Step 13: TAPE AND TRIM ONE WALL AS FLAP DOOR

STEP 13: TAPE SECOND 20X30in PLASTIC SHEET TO OPPOSITE ARCH OPENING. DO NOT TAPE TO THE BOTTOM. USE 3 PIECES OF TAPE AS SHOWN SO FLAP OPENS WELL.

Step 14: CUT HOLE FOR GROW LIGHT AND CLAMP IT TO BOARD

STEP 14: CUT A WHOLE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE PLASTIC SHEET BETWEEN THE CENTER OF TWO ARCHES. INSERT THE GROW LIGHT THROUGH THIS WHOLE OR THE FLAP DOOR, ADJUST AS NEEDED.

Step 15: PLACE KALE PLANT IN GREENHOUSE

STEP 15: PLACE KALE PLANT IN GREENHOUSE UNDER LIGHTS ADJUST THEM AS NEEDED.

Step 16: PLACE ARDUINO BOARD IN GREENHOUSE AND SOIL SENSOR IN PLANT

STEP 16: PLACE BREADBOARD AND SERVO MOTOR IN GREENHOUSE, PLACE SOIL SENSOR IN PLANT APPROXIMATELY 2 INCHES DEEP INTO SOIL TO GET ACCURATE READINGS.

Step 17: CONNECT COMPUTER TO ARDUINO AND RUN CODE

STEP 17: CONNECT YOUR COMPUTER TO THE SPARK KIT VIA A WIRE AND DOWNLOAD THE CODE ONTO THE SPARK KIT. YOU CAN NOW RUN THE GREENHOUSE AND SEE LIGHTS APPEAR BASED ON SOIL MOISTURE LEVEL. YOU CAN ALSO CLICK THE BUTTON ON THE BREADBOARD (WHITE BOARD WITH WIRES) TO START THE SERVO MOTORS TIMER.