Smart Mushroom Cultivation
By B.E. Alejandro • 4 minutes read •
Project Summary
This project involves the development of a modular, intelligent, and fully automated system for cultivating edible and medicinal mushrooms. Each unit functions as an independent ecosystem, automatically monitored and adjusted by artificial intelligence, with full control from a mobile application or web dashboard.
The system is designed to optimize the growing conditions for different mushroom species, maximizing production while minimizing human intervention.
#Mushrooms #Automation #IoT #Cultivation #AI #RaspberryPi #ESP32
Main Features
Modular Design
- Vertical structure with independent cubes of different sizes
- Each module has its own environmental control system
- Ability to grow different species simultaneously
- Scalability according to production needs
Intelligent Environmental Control
- Real-time monitoring of critical parameters
- Automatic adjustment according to the selected species
- Alerts and notifications for anomalous conditions
- Historical data logging for analysis and optimization
Visual Analysis with AI
- Growth status detection using computer vision
- Prediction of the optimal harvest time
- Early identification of contamination or problems
- Continuous learning to improve results
System Components
🏗️ Infrastructure and Design
- Modular structure: Vertical shelf with cubes of different sizes
- Cubes: Each cube has its own environmental control system
- Substrate material: Varies by species (straw, sawdust, coffee, etc.)
- Thermal insulation: To maintain stable conditions regardless of the external environment
🌡️ Automated Environmental Control
Each cube will have sensors and actuators to maintain an autonomous microclimate, adjusted according to the type of mushroom entered via the app.
Sensors | Actuators |
---|---|
Temperature | Humidifiers / Dehumidifiers |
Humidity | Fans / Air extractors |
CO₂ | Water pumps (automated irrigation) |
Light | Programmable LED lighting |
Each cube automatically adjusts these parameters based on the selected mushroom species.
🤖 AI for Monitoring and Management
- Database with ideal parameters for each species
- Computer vision to monitor and predict harvest time
- Learning algorithms for continuous optimization
Component | Technology |
---|---|
Cameras | One per cube to capture periodic images |
Machine Learning | Models with YOLOv8, TensorFlow, or PyTorch |
Analysis | Automatic detection of growth and maturity |
Adaptation | Environmental adjustment based on visual analysis of the mushroom |
🔁 Automation and Communication
- Central management platform for all cubes
- Microcontrollers like ESP32 / ESP8266 or Raspberry Pi in each cube
- Communication based on MQTT + Python
- Automation with Node-RED or Home Assistant
🖥️ User Interface
A web or app platform to control, visualize, and receive notifications.
Functionalities | Technologies |
---|---|
Mushroom type selection per cube | Backend: Flask, Django, or FastAPI (Python) |
Real-time data visualization | Frontend: Grafana (visualization) |
Harvest notifications | Interface: Home Assistant (intuitive control) |
Manual parameter control | Mobile: PWA or native app |
🧩 Required Hardware
For complete details on hardware components, see Hardware.
- Processing unit: Raspberry Pi 4 / Jetson Nano
- Local controllers: ESP32 / ESP8266
- Sensors: Temperature, humidity, CO₂, light
- Cameras: HD per cube for visual monitoring
- Actuators: Fans, humidifiers, heaters, pumps
Operation Flow
Initial setup:
- The user inserts the cube into the shelf
- Selects the mushroom type from the interface
- The system automatically configures the ideal parameters
Cultivation cycle:
- Constant monitoring of environmental conditions
- Real-time automatic adjustments
- Visual analysis of growth
- Data logging for optimization
Harvest:
- Detection of the optimal moment by AI
- Notification to the user
- Recording of results to improve future cycles
For a visual representation of the complete process, see Flowchart
Next Steps
Phase 1: Prototype
- Construction of a test module
- Implementation of the basic sensor system
- Development of the preliminary control interface
Phase 2: AI Development
- Collection of growth data
- Training of computer vision models
- Harvest prediction tests
Phase 3: Scaling
- Optimization of the modular design
- Improvement of energy efficiency
- Implementation of a complete multi-module system
References and Resources
- Optimal cultivation parameters by species
- Implementation of computer vision in agriculture
- IoT systems for controlled cultivation
For more details, see: