Blubot: an autonomous gardening robot

I really appreciate any donors. Anyone who donates will be acknowledged. If you want me to make a post thanking you, you are more than welcome to contact me. Even if you don't donate, sharing this post would mean the world to me.

Join me in starting a sustainable way of life.

Source: Farmbot

I'm on a mission for the elderly, busy professionals, and your day-to-day person to grow clean healthy food by developing an affordable garden robot. I call it Blubot. This project is not just a passion for me; it's a necessity. With self-grown food ensures food security. As global populations rise, fresh, nutritious food becomes increasingly challenging. Blubot can provide a reliable source of healthy food, right at home. By funding Blubot, you're investing in a tool that empowers anyone, anywhere, to grow food sustainably.

My journey with Blubot began through inspiration from my grandmother, who really enjoys eating healthy food grown straight from the ground. However, as I grew up through middle and high school, I noticed that she struggled with taking care of her plants. Observing her struggle alongside my growing interest in Japanese pickled ginger, which store-bought versions could never match in freshness. A few months later, during a meeting with my mentor, I shared my newfound interests in agriculture and my ambition to grow fresh ginger. He opened the door to the field of plant care automation and led to the development of Blubot, a robot designed to enable anyone, anywhere, to grow out their garden.

Your support is vital for Blubot's success. Every contribution goes straight into this project. As we progress, expect regular updates filled with videos and photos showcasing our milestones. Blog posts about my progress can also be found at Codehobbits.

Source: Farmbot

Objectives for this project:

Step by step plan for this project:

1. Gain an understanding of how to grow certain plants and their needs by hand.

This involves hands-on gardening to comprehend the unique needs of each species we intend to grow with Blubot.

2. Create a 3D model of a raised bed to visually see the size of the project to scale. This will allow us to visualize the project's dimensions and scale, ensuring our designs are both practical and efficient before physical construction begins.

3. Learn the fundamentals of microcontrollers through the Arduino interface

In order to operate Blubot, parts need to be in sync. This will be performed through a series of microcontrollers communicating with each other.

4. Understand the difference between sensors and actuators. This knowledge is vital for our project as it will be a part of the mechanical parts within the development of Blubot's interactive capabilities.

5. Reading the sensors and actuators using microcontrollers. This will allow to proactively change the resources given to the plants for their optimal growth. Reading and interpreting the data is a skill that will be honed to ensure precision in Blubot’s operations.

6. Learning how to control motors and servos. An exciting goal is to learn how to control motors and servos accurately. Mastering this aspect is essential for the movement and functionality of Blubot.

7. Deconstruct pre-built robots to understand deeply how they work. This reverse-engineering process is crucial for discovering practical insights into robotic design and operation, which will be applied to refine Blubot's mechanisms, making it more affordable.

8. Design the mechanical components required for Blubot to function. Designing the mechanical components that are essential for Blubot to function effectively. This involves detailed planning and engineering to ensure that each part of Blubot is optimized for sustainable plant care automation.

9. Community Engagement and Volunteer Recruitment:

Promoting Blubot within the community will be essential to our plan. We'll work with local schools, community centers, and online platforms to build leadership and recruit participants.

10. Happy growing!

Source: Farmbot

Below is a link to a document with a detailed list of the items you’re money will go to.

List of items