Selecting the equipment

Given the requirements described in the previous section, the device that needs to be created must have the following capabilities:

• Be able to measure the soil's moisture level (an analog probe has a good fit for this solution)
• Have bidirectional communication capability (so that the user can water the garden whenever he feels it is necessary)
• Be able to configure the soil's moisture limit (a configurable rule)

The following assumptions are also true about the solution:

• • ide a Wi-Fi internet connection 
  • The user will provide an energy supply for the system
  • The system will be used in an apartment, so there is no need for long-distance connections
  • Payload size is irr
• elevant as a Wi-Fi connection will be provided

Since we are prototyping before creating the actual device, there are a number of prototyping platforms that can make it easier to wire and test the solution quickly. To do this, we will use one of the most powerful and modular platforms: Intel Edison and Grove.

We will look for a device (or a composition) that has Wi-Fi connectivity and an analog sensor connection. We will also need a soil moisture analog sensor probe, a temperature and humidity sensor, and a water solenoid valve.

Consequently, the solution will require a list of parts, which will look something like this:

The following diagram provides an overview of the parts that are specified in the parts list table. Please note that the shape and color of the devices are just for illustration purposes and might be different depending on the vendor, edition, or other characteristics: 

Let's quickly review the parts from this list.