Vertical Farming: leveraging KUNBUS’ Revolution Pi for enhanced efficiency and productivity
sensors like the TEKTELIC KIWI and LED grow lights from Beyond LED, provides a flexible, scalable solution to drive automation and optimization in vertical farming. By enabling precise monitoring and control of every aspect of the growing environment, this integrated approach helps maximize efficiency, minimize costs, and ensure consistent production of high-quality crops. Revolution Pi’s support for various industrial communication protocols allows users to create scalable control systems to manage every aspect of the vertical farming environment from one centralized interface. At the heart of the platform is the Raspberry Pi Compute Module, which provides the processing power and flexibility needed to handle complex automation tasks. The platform’s modular design also allows customers to expand its capabilities by adding various I/O modules and gateways, enabling connectivity with a wide range
capabilities, which allow growers to precisely control the intensity of the light output to match the needs of various crops and growth stages. Dimming is achieved through either 0-10V or PWM (pulse-width modulation) control, depending on the specific application. Finally, the Beyond LED grow lights are designed with smart control capabilities that allow them to be easily integrated into larger vertical farming control systems. The lights can be controlled remotely via central control panels or apps, allowing growers to adjust light intensity, spectrum, and scheduling from any part of the world. They can also be programmed to automatically adjust their output based on data from sensors and other devices in the growing environment, enabling dynamic and responsive lighting control that adapts to changing conditions in real-time. KUNBUS Revolution Pi platform: a versatile solution for vertical farms Revolution Pi is an open, modular industrial PC developed by KUNBUS, a leading manufacturer of industrial communication solutions. KUNBUS simplifies industrial communication by providing easy-to-use, flexible, and cost-effective solutions that bridge the gap between different protocols and systems in industrial facilities. Based on the Raspberry
of sensors, actuators, and other industrial devices. The KIWI Agriculture Sensor can be integrated with Revolution Pi via LoRaWAN connectivity. This low-power, long-range wireless communication protocol allows the sensor to transmit data wirelessly to a Revolution Pi base module, avoiding complex wiring or infrastructure. The base module can then process sensor data using custom software applications to enable real-time monitoring, data logging, and automated control of various parameters. For example, when the sensor detects that soil moisture levels have fallen below a predefined threshold, Revolution Pi can trigger irrigation systems to deliver water to the affected plants. Similarly, when the sensor detects sub-optimal temperature or humidity, Revolution Pi can activate HVAC systems or adjust the ventilation to maintain ideal growing conditions.
powerful platform for integrating and controlling LED grow lights. For instance, it can be programmed to adjust light intensity, spectrum, and photoperiod based on predefined schedules or in response to real- time data from sensors. This dynamic approach to lighting control helps optimize energy usage, minimize waste, and ensure that plants receive the optimal amount and quality of light for healthy growth and development. Conclusion Utilizing automation systems to precisely monitor and control environmental conditions, resource inputs, and crop growth, vertical farm operators are achieving unprecedented levels of precision, consistency, and efficiency in crop production. Automation has enabled these farms to produce higher yields of better-quality crops with fewer resources and less waste than ever before, while also reducing labor costs, improving worker safety, and minimizing the risk of errors. Moreover, vast amounts of data generated from various aspects of the growing process enables growers to learn, adapt, and improve their operations over time. The integration of automation technologies in vertical farming shows how technology can enhance food production and sustainability in the face of growing global challenges.
The KUNBUS Revolution Pi platform. Credit: KUNBUS
Pi Compute Module, Revolution Pi is designed to meet the demands of industrial environments, such as vertical farms. It incorporates the flexibility and affordability of Raspberry Pi with industrial features such as wide temperature range, vibration resistance, and sturdiness. The Revolution Pi runs on various operating systems, including Linux and Windows IoT Core, allowing users to develop and deploy custom applications for automation, data acquisition, and remote monitoring. It also supports a broad range of interfaces, including digital inputs/outputs, analog inputs, and serial ports, making it suitable for connecting to sensors, actuators, and other industrial devices. Housed in a compact DIN-rail casing, the platform offers three base modules that can be expanded with I/O modules and fieldbus gateways. The 24V powered modules can
be connected via an overhead connector and can be quickly configured using a graphical tool. Revolution Pi runs on an adapted Raspberry Pi OS with a real-time patch, ensuring compatibility with most Raspberry Pi applications. This flexibility allows vertical farm operators to leverage an already extensive Raspberry Pi ecosystem while benefiting from the robustness and reliability of an industrial-grade platform. Moreover, support for common programming languages like Python and C++ makes it easy for developers to create tailored software applications that meet the unique needs of their vertical farming operations. Application with agricultural sensors and LED grow light components KUNBUS’ Revolution Pi platform, combined with agricultural
Revolution Pi also provides a
The KUNBUS Revolution Pi platform. Credit: KUNBUS
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