The project aims at reducing the wastage of water while irrigation and also at the same time provides a better solution for automation of irrigation systems. The project uses a Soil moisture sensor (Hygrometer for soil) to detect the amount of moisture content in the soil. Once the moisture level reduces to a threshold level,the Micro-controller (we used Arduino MC Board) switches on the water pump until the soil is again moist. we also designed an Android Application - Jai Kisan V1.0 for manually controlling the time and the amount of water to be released to a plant. The project can be made useful for a large range for users - from a owner for a small garden in a metro to a multi acre farming farmer in a village.

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TeamProjectTitle: AUTOMATION OF WATER SPRINKLING THROUGH
REAL TIME ESTIMATION OF SOIL MOISTURE CONTENT
1. Abstract
Irrigation is method in which water is supplied to the plants at regular intervals of
time. It is important as it can reduce crop stress if rainfall doesn'tprovide the amount
of moisture it needs and also for timed supply of water for optimal crop yields.
Ancient methods depended upon physical geography and geology. These methods
required diversion of river water to the fields. It has several disadvantages. We have
come up with a proper solution for this problem. Sprinkling Irrigation is the main
conceptof our solution. It is nothing but the simulation of natural rainfall. It can be
implemented under any climatic conditions and it keeps tab of water consumption
and usage. It is highly efficient due to uniform distribution of water and offers a
possibility for implementing a method for water quality control. The best part is that
no special skills or training is required for efficient monitoring of crops.
Course ENV 200 Environmental Studies
Batch Semester ECE B / S6 (2013-17)
Program Amrita School of Engineering
Department ECE Dept.
Instructor Dr. Smitha Chandran
Taught in (Semester) S6
2. TeamMembers
S.No Roll. No. Name
1. U4ECE13117 G Rajesh
2. U4ECE13132 K Sarath
3. U4ECE13139 M Akhil
4. U4ECE13153 S Vignesh

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3. Introduction
In present times, when water crisis is developing very fast everywhere, we should
adoptimproved techniques of irrigation to encourage suitable water management.
Sprinkler irrigation method is an easy and simple method of irrigation in present
times.
The whole land becomes available for cultivation of crops, whereas in traditional
irrigation methods, 15 to 20 per cent land remains vacant in depressions and
boundaries. Modern equipment’s can also be used in it due to absenceof depressions
and boundaries. Rate of infiltration is higher in sandy soils where frequency of
watering is more. Hence, sprinkler irrigation method is more suited to sandy soils.
In sprinkler irrigation method, water is taken from source to the fields through pipes,
whereas in surface irrigation methods only 30-45 per cent water reaches the crops.
Such loss of water is avoided in sprinkler irrigation method. The problem of water
logging or ‘kallar’ may be caused in case of excess water from surface irrigation,
whereas no such problem is caused in sprinkler irrigation method. The balance of
groundwater is also maintained.
For development of sprinkler irrigation method, the following circumstances are
essential:
1. It is done in areas having scarcity of water.
2. Uneven ground level where irrigation is not possible by other irrigation methods.
3. Places having maximum temperature where crops might get destroyed, sprinkler
irrigation method maintains humid environment for the crops.
4 .Where soil textures may be of different nature, for example, sandy soil at some
places and stony soil at others places.
5. It requires lesser number of labourers hence, it can be developed even where there
are less workers.
6. Irrigation may be required in large areas.
In areas where change in temperature of earth, environment and humidity is required
for growth of crops, sprinkler irrigation method is possible to a certain extent. Due to
continuous spray of water, there IS improvement in physical conditions of earth and
composition of soil. In kallar or reh soils, land can be improved by sprinkler
irrigation, whereas surface irrigation needs much more water for it.

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Advantages of sprinkling type irrigation:
1. There is increase in production and compactness.
2. It is helpful in soil conservation and stabilization of sand dunes in desert areas.
3. Sprinkler system is considered more suitable in areas where slit is coagulated on
surface of soil after rains, prevents growth of crop.
4. This system saves the crop from extreme frost or temperature.
5. Fertilizer application as well as insecticide spray can be done by sprinkler system.
6. Waste land can be improved by less water. Physical condition and composition of
soil can be maintained in a balanced condition by continuous sprinkling.
Now that we have established the necessity for sprinkling type irrigation, we will
discuss the method that we followed to implement
4. Background
Background concepts involved are intermediate-level Arduino programming, and
sensorapplications. There are two types of modes planned for this project which are
“automatic” and “semi-automatic”. Forthe semi-automatic model, experience with
MIT app inventor is needed. Few basics about KVL and KCL are desired but not
necessary. Once implemented this productrequires absolutely no technical
knowledge to operate efficiently and also the user interface is created for the best
possible experience for the person who operates. We have worked hard to belie the
complexities involved in this project with or design
1. Need:The main reason why we decided to move forward with project was that
we witnessed the prodigality of water all around us. Then we asked ourselves
if we could do something about it. This automatic (semi) was our answer. Not
only could this project eliminate the possibility of potential water scarcity, but
also have provision for quality management of water used for irrigation.
2. Scope:Theoretically scopeofthis project is limitless. However, thinking in
terms of feasibility and affordability, this project can be implemented for a
medium sized farm land. We have talked to the concerned officials to
implement this project on the garden in front of our college building.

4. 4
5. ConceptDefinition
This project is a perfect example of an embedded system. The microcontroller board acts as the
brain of the project. The basic block diagram is given below.

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6. ProjectTasksand Timeline Sample
S.
No.
Task Description
Start
Date
End
Date
Extent
Completed
%
Person
Responsible
Comments
1.
Initial literature
survey
14/03/16 22/03/16 100% Individual
Topics were divided and we
discussed to have an initial
literature study individually
2.
Components
procurement
25/03/16 1/04/16 100% Rajesh, Akhil
Components were identified
and acquired
3. Concept Testing 4/04/16 4/04/16 100% Sarath, Akhil
Initial ideas were implemented
on the Arduino
4.
Model testing,
design of a
presentable model
7/04/16 9/04/16 80%
Vignesh,
Rajesh
A presentable prototype was
made
5. Exhaustive testing 10/04/16 14/04/16 60% Rajesh, Akhil
Tests conducted on various soil
samples, results tabulated
6. Report Writing 24/04/16 24/04/16 100%
Vignesh,
Sarath
Complete documentation of the
works performed
7. ProjectDescription
Basic components required:
Arduino: Arduino is an open-sourceprototyping platform based on easy-to-use
hardware and software. Arduino boards are able to read inputs - light on a sensor, a
finger on a button, or a Twitter message - and turn it into an output - activating a
motor, turning on an LED, publishing something online. You can tell your board
what to do by sending a set of instructions to the microcontroller on the board. To do
so you use the Arduino programming language (based on wiring), and the Arduino
Software (IDE), based on processing.

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Over the years Arduino has been the brain of thousands of projects, from everyday
objects to complex scientific instruments. A worldwide community of makers -
students, hobbyists, artists, programmers, and professionals - has gathered around
this open-sourceplatform, their contributions have added up to an incredible amount
of accessible knowledge that can be of great help to novices and experts alike.
Arduino was born at the Ivrea Interaction Design Institute as an easy toolfor fast
prototyping, aimed at students without a background in electronics and programming.
As soonas it reached a wider community, the Arduino board started changing to
adapt to new needs and challenges, differentiating its offer from simple 8-bit boards
to products for IoT applications, wearable, 3D printing, and embedded environments.
All Arduino boards are completely open-source, empowering users to build them
independently and eventually adapt them to their particular needs. The software, too,
is open-source, and it is growing through the contributions of users worldwide.
b. WasherPump: Washer pump is basically a motor mechanically modified as a
pump. It can be easily obtained from any service shop. It is commonly used in

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the wind-shield cleaning. Required voltage for normal operation is 12V.
c. Wireless transmitter module: A wireless module for transmission and
reception of sensor data is employed in the semi-automatic mode. This can be
a Bluetooth module, Xbee, RF or even Wi-Fi module.
d. MotorDriver IC: The L293D works on the conceptof typical H-bridge, a
circuit which allows the high voltage to be flown in either direction. In a single
L293D IC there are two H-bridge circuits which can rotate two DC motors
independently. Due to its size and voltage requirement, it is frequently used in
robotics applications for controlling DC motors, including in Arduino projects.
The L293D is also a key componentin larger 'motordriver' boards available
premade for hobbyists. There are two drive pins on L293D. Pin 1 (left H-
bridge) and pin 9 (right H-bridge). To turn ON the corresponding motor, pin 1
or 9 need to be set to HIGH. If either pin 1 or pin 9 goes low then the motor in
the corresponding section will go OFF (high impedance). These inputs (1 and
9) are the ones that should be used to controlmotor START/STOPand motor
speed under PWM, since there would be high impedance output during low
semi period of PWM, it would not provoke overload of the L293D when the
motor is turning. Thus, PWM or motor ON/OFF control should never be input
to pins 2, 7, 15, 10, which should only be used to control direction (Clockwise
– Counter Clockwise). The direction-defining four Input pins for the L293D
are pin 2 and 7 on the left and pin 15 and 10 on the right as shown on the pin

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diagram. Left input pins will determine the rotation of motor connected on the
left side and right input for motor on the right hand side. The motors are
rotated on the basis of the inputs provided at the input pins as LOGIC 1 or
LOGIC 0.
e. Analog Moisture SensorModule: This Moisture Sensor can be used to
detect the moisture of soil or judge if there is water around the sensor, let the
plants in your garden reach out for human help. They can be very easy to use,
just insert it into the soil and then read it. With the help of this sensor, it will be
realizable to make the plant remind you : hey, i am thirsty now, please give me
some water. An electronic brick is an electronic module which can be
assembled like Lego bricks simply by plugging in and pulling out. Compared
to traditional universal boards and circuit modules assembled with various
electronic components, electronic brick has standardized interfaces, plug and
play, simplifying construction of prototype circuit on one’s own. There are
many types of electronic bricks, and we provide more than twenty types with
different functions including buttons, sensors, Bluetooth modules, etc., whose
functions cover from sensor to motor drive, from Ethernet to wireless
communication via Bluetooth, and so on. We will continue to add more types
to meet the various needs of different projects. Electronic brick of soil
moisture sensoris mainly used to detect the moisture content in the soil. The
control board can get the moisture value or threshold in the soil via analog or
digital pins.

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8.Android Application
An android application "Jai Kisan"(version 2.1) was made for manual controlof
watering the plants. The app, runs smoothly on any android device with an android
version of 4.1 and above. Also, extra care has been taken to make the app
compatible with almost all of the low end and small screen devices. The app was
created using MIT App inventor . MIT App Inventor is an innovative beginner's
introduction to programming and app creation that transforms the complex language
of text-based coding into visual, drag-and-drop building blocks. The simple graphical
interface grants even an inexperienced novice the ability to create a basic, fully
functional app within an hour or less. The MIT App Inventor project seeks to
democratize software development by empowering all people, especially young
people, to transition from being consumers of technology to becoming creators of it.
In the final and stable version of the Application ,the user can see the status of the
soil in status field in the middle of the screen. Initially the user has to connectto the
system using the "Scan Devices" option. Once connected the status field(on the top
of the screen ) indicates that the phone is connected. The soil condition is shown as
"wet" when the soil is moist and a scrolling text "Dry, water it" in the status
field.The application provides the user with two buttons : "Pump water for 1 sec" &
"pump water for 2 sec". The first option, : "Pump water for 1 sec" sends a message to
the arduino to release the water pump for 1 second and similarly the second option :
"Pump water for 2 sec" sends a message to the arduino to release the water pump for
2 seconds. Theapp can be further worked on ,to simultaneously monitor and control
around 8-10 plants. The app has Amrita Viswa vidyapeetham logo along with the
team members name at the left-down and right-down corners.
Image: Designer workspace of MIT App inventor2

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Image: Blocksworkspace of MIT App inventor 2
Image: Jai Kisan running on an android phone

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9.Code:
i) Arduino Code for Automatic Mode of Operation
long int x,i=0,z=0,v;
const int y=800;
void setup(){
Serial.begin(9600);
pinMode(A5,OUTPUT);
pinMode(A4,OUTPUT);
pinMode(11,OUTPUT);
pinMode(10,OUTPUT);
digitalWrite(A5,HIGH);
digitalWrite(A4,LOW);
}
void loop() {
x=analogRead(A2);
Serial.print(x);
if(x>y){
i++;
v=0;
// if(z==0){
Serial.println("soil is dry,calibrating");
//z++;}
if(i>50){
Serial.println("calibrated,water it");
digitalWrite(11,HIGH);
digitalWrite(10,LOW);
delay(3000);
digitalWrite(11,LOW);
digitalWrite(10,LOW);
i=0;
z=0;}
}
else{
digitalWrite(13,LOW);
digitalWrite(10,LOW);
i=0;
// if(v==0){
Serial.println("/twet");
// v++;
}
delay(100);
}

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ii) Arduino Code for Semi- Automatic Mode of Operation
long int x,i=0;
const int y=800;
short int b,v=0,z=0;
void setup(){
Serial.begin(9600);
pinMode(A5,OUTPUT);
pinMode(A4,OUTPUT);
pinMode(11,OUTPUT);
pinMode(10,OUTPUT);
digitalWrite(A5,HIGH);
digitalWrite(A4,LOW);
}
void loop() {
x=analogRead(A2);
//Serial.println(x);
if(x>y){
i++;
v=0;
// if(z==0){
Serial.println("soil is dry,calibrating");
// z++;}
if(i>50){
Serial.println("calibrated,water it");
while(!Serial.available()){Serial.println("calibrated,water it");}
b=Serial.read();
if(b==51){
digitalWrite(11,HIGH);
digitalWrite(10,LOW);
delay(4000);
digitalWrite(11,LOW);
digitalWrite(10,LOW);
i=0;
z=0;}
if(b==52){
digitalWrite(11,HIGH);
digitalWrite(10,LOW);
delay(3000);
digitalWrite(11,LOW);
digitalWrite(10,LOW);
i=0;
z=0;}
}}
else{
digitalWrite(13,LOW);
digitalWrite(10,LOW);
i=0;
//if(v==0){
Serial.println("wet");
// v++;}
}
delay(100);
}

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10. Outcomes
We have tabulated the sensorreadings for a variety of soil samples. Basically we
studied and predicted the behaviour of the sprinkler under various conditions. Higher
the sensor value, higher the moisture content.
S.No. Time Amount of
water/moisture
Sensorreadings
1. 5:00 am Very low level,
only moisture
present might be
dew
458
2. 5:00 am Moderate, soil
treated with
controlled amount
of water
652
3. 5:00 am High, soilwatered
just before
measurement
960
4. 10:00 am Very low, almost
completely dry
with hardly any
trace of water
442
5. 10:00 am Moderate, soil
treated with
controlled amount
of water
631
6. 10:00 am High, soilwatered
just before
measurement
936
7. 2:00 pm Very low, almost
completely dry
with hardly any
trace of water
407
8. 2:00 pm Moderate, soil
treated with
controlled amount
of water
611
9. 2:00 pm High, soilwatered
just before
measurement
917
10. 6:00 pm Very low, almost
completely dry
412

14. 14
with hardly any
trace of water
11. 6:00 pm Moderate, soil
treated with
controlled amount
of water
621
12. 6:00 pm High, soilwatered
just before
measurement
925
13. 10:00 pm Very low, almost
completely dry
with hardly any
trace of water
438
14. 10:00 pm Moderate, soil
treated with
controlled amount
of water
637
15. 10:00 pm High, soilwatered
just before
measurement
942
11. Sharing Your Experiences
Rajesh-“I am very happy with this project. With the help of my teammates I can
proudly say that I have contributed something that can save water.”
Sarath- “I learnt a lot about traditional irrigational methods and their flaw. I couldn’t
understand why people are still using these as it wastes a lot of water. Now they
don’thave to anymore. ”
Akhil- ” I could not have done this without my team. We had abstractconcepts and
ideas to make this project, but I never imagined that it would turn out so good”.
Vignesh- “I just loved the experience of working in a team to collectively solve a
major problem. I would like to thank Dr. Smitha for giving us this opportunity.”

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12. The RoadAhead
We are planning the usage of GSM module instead of Bluetooth module in the semi-
automatic mode. Also, usage of autonomous drones to sample soil moisture regularly
throughout the field is an idea one of our teammates came up with. Other feasible
improvements are usage of different sensor technology like usage of low-frequency
microwave/infrared for moisture detection. Sensor network to monitor the presence
of nutrients in entire field is a far way down the road but it will be realistic at least in
future.
13. References
1. Williams, J. F.; S. R. Roberts;J. E. Hill; S. C. Scardaci; G. Tibbits. "Managing
Water for 'Weed' Controlin Rice". UC Davis, Department of Plant Sciences.
Retrieved 2007-03-14.
2. Blonquist, J. M. (2005). "A time domain transmission sensorwith TDR
performance characteristics" (PDF). Journal of Hydrology 314: 235–245.
doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2005.04.005. Retrieved 31 Jan 2016.
3. http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.analchem.5b01653
4. Decagon Devices "List of peer-reviewed publications using Decagon soil moisture
sensors". Retrieved: 20 July 2015.
5. Williams, J. F.; S. R. Roberts;J. E. Hill; S. C. Scardaci; G. Tibbits. "Managing
Water for 'Weed' Controlin Rice". UC Davis, Department of Plant Sciences.
Retrieved 2007-03-14.