PlantBot: Water Reminder
Compact IoT device that monitors soil moisture and sends real-time alerts, designed for smart, low-maintance plant care.
Project Overview
The Smart Plant Water Reminder is a Wi-Fi connected IoT device designed to monitor soil moisture and remind users when it’s time to water their plants. Built with an ESP8266 NodeMCU, a soil moisture sensor, and Telegram app integration, the device provides both visual LED alerts and instant smartphone notifications. Housed in a custom 3D-printed mushroom-style enclosure, this project combines engineering, sustainability, and thoughtful design to create a low-cost, reliable solution.
Objectives
Develop a sustainable, low-maintenance IoT device using accessible components.
Provide real-time soil moisture monitoring with reliable alerts.
Design a user-friendly enclosure that is visually appealing and functional.
Explore low-cost prototyping methods to make the project replicable.
Features
Soil Monitoring: LM393 analog soil moisture sensor calibrated for accurate readings.
Visual Alerts: LED indicator lights up when soil is dry.
Smart Notifications: Telegram bot integration sends instant phone alerts.
Custom Enclosure: Modified 3D-printed mushroom case with sensor access and breadboard mount.
Future Iterations: Planned battery slot + extra LED for standalone use.
Tools & Technologies
Hardware: ESP8266 NodeMCU, LM393 Soil Moisture Sensor, LED, resistors, jumper wires, breadboard
Software: Arduino IDE, Telegram Bot API
Fabrication: 3D Printing (modified template model)
Results
Functionality: Device consistently alerted users when soil dried beyond threshold.
Reliability: Ran for extended periods without maintenance or misreading.
Impact: Provided a practical, meaningful solution for plant care, combining sustainability with usability.
Personal Outcome: Strengthened skills in IoT prototyping, sensor calibration, and hardware-software integration.
Skills Demonstrated
IoT System Design (ESP8266, Wi-Fi, API integration)
Circuit Prototyping & Sensor Calibration
Embedded Systems Programming (Arduino)
Cloud Messaging via Telegram Bot API
CAD & 3D Printing for Hardware Enclosures
Human-Centered, Sustainable Design Thinking
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