The latest innovations of the "garden 2.0″

Connected objects are also invading the gardens! The garden 2.0 would become more ecological, thanks to the internet of objects allowing a water diagnosis or the watering of plants monitored and programmed remotely. New tools to better manage green spaces and make them less resource and time consuming, proving that nature and technology can be compatible. A brief overview of innovations, whether you have a green thumb or not!

Photo ©UP' Magazine

 

Throughout the studies, the gardens of tomorrow will tend towards greater autonomy by taking advantage of technological innovations. New lifestyles imply a different approach to gardening activities. For example, many people prefer to make the most of their outdoor space without the constraints associated with its maintenance. While the robot lawnmower and lighting, watering or watering systems for ornamental ponds are gaining ground among individuals, outdoor plant care management devices are not yet democratized. Here is a new generation of equipment, programmable and remotely controllable via a smartphone, which invests the garden to make it more fun and easy to maintain for a garden 2.0.

 

The Gaarden Control system is the result of the union of two specialists: Gaarden, a start-up specialising in the development and maintenance of gardens and green spaces, and Estimote, an American company specialising in the supply of sensors.

 

Gaarden Control is a complete digital device that evaluates and analyses the needs of outdoor plants via a measurement platform and a specific application. As a control tool, it is equipped with sensors placed at plant level, which measure soil humidity and pH, the light to which the plants are exposed and the ambient temperature.

 

The Apple Homekit environment on which Gaarden Control is based allows the analysis of the data transmitted by the sensors to the Internet user. The latter benefits from a complete diagnosis of the needs of his plants on the dedicated application via his Smartphone, tablet or computer.

Wherever he is, the garden owner will benefit from access to data on his plants and, if necessary, will have :

- A definition of the plant's problem (nature of the soil, drought or too high humidity, outside temperature, ...),

- Advice to alleviate these problems (application of suitable soil improvers, regulation of the watering mode, etc.),

- Finally, a direct link to the Gaarden.fr reservation application allowing you to request the passage of a gardener, who will try to solve the problem on the ground.

 

Because the needs of plants are different according to their species, this system benefits from a large database of plants of all kinds. Thus, each advice answers precisely to the needs of the plant concerned.

 

After a first phase of research and development, Gaarden and Estimote are currently testing the system with ambassador customers. These preliminary tests will allow the final development of the application necessary for its launch.

 

Starting in spring 2017, customers will be able to order the sensors as part of a subscription and download the Gaarden Control application.

 

Once installed, the Gaarden Control system offers the user a serene management of his garden. If the analysis carried out by Gaarden Control generates an intervention alert, the user will receive a notification proposing the intervention of a Gaarden qualified gardener via the reservation application to which Gaarden Control is connected.

 

Vegetable garden, lawn, flowerbeds... need a regular supply of water for their growth. To simplify watering work, even when you're away, or to avoid wasting water at the height of the season, last summer Hozelock launched a connected, smartphone-controlled timer, the Cloud Controller. This innovative and intelligent system allows you to water your garden remotely.

Whether you are at work, at home or on holiday, the system allows you to create your own watering program in just a few minutes via an application that you can download to your smartphone. A true ally of the garden, it guarantees control of water consumption, saves time to better enjoy your garden, while ensuring the good health of the plants, even in the event of prolonged absence or changing weather conditions.

Building on the success of the Cloud Controller, Hozelock has enhanced its system with a new add-on module to extend programming to up to four devices.

 

How does it work?

- Ultra easy installation. The Hozelock Cloud Controller system consists of a timer, connected to the external water supply, and a hub, connected to the home internet router. Easy to install, this secure system does not require a complex coupling process.

The hub establishes a wi-fi link with the programmer, up to 50 m away, and can manage up to 4 programmers placed in different areas (garden, terrace, patio...) or to water differently according to the needs of the plants (micro-irrigation for the vegetable garden, sprinklers for the lawn...). In the event of a communication breakdown, the programmer keeps the settings in memory.

 

- An application to customize your watering. For the hub to communicate with the programmer, the user downloads the free Hozelock mobile application (on Apple Store or Google Play).

Intuitive, with a clear and didactic interface, this application contains pre-installed programs or allows you to customize your own program. The user can set watering times (up to 180 minutes), start times or days of the week, pause and remotely adjust the watering programs according to current conditions and weather changes. The recorded information is then sent from the mobile phone to a dedicated server and then to the hub.

 

- A functional programmer. With its removable front panel and ergonomic design, the Cloud Controller programmer allows quick and easy access to the batteries (2 AA LR6). It has a valve system, compatible with all faucets, and has the particularity of being able to connect to a rainwater recuperator as it does not require any inlet pressure (less than 0.1 bar).

Finally, it has a button on the front panel that allows you to start watering immediately for use outside of the automatic programming mode.

 

Price : 159 euros TTC - Extension module for : 139 euros TTC

Points of sale : Garden centres, LISA, GSB

GreenIQ Smart Garden: Choosing the best time to water

For availability in other countries, see the official website 

 

It's a small revolution in the remote control of garden appliances. The "heart" of the system is the InScenio FM-Master WLAN EGC. This electrical outlet allows the OASE connected devices to be controlled via WiFi, from a tablet or smartphone (iOS or Android). To do this, simply load the application from the Apple Store or via Google Play.

 

Thanks to its simple and clear ergonomic design, the InScenio FM-Master WLAN EGC can program and control up to 10 OASE devices: pumps, filters, garden lighting, etc.

Devices connected in this way can be switched on or off, the lights can be dimmed, the filter capacity can be regulated... from a tablet or a smartphone. Modular and intelligent, the system seems extremely easy to install, even by novices.

 

Indicative public price: 500 euros including tax

Points of sale: garden centres and retailers to professionals

 

Gone are the tedious operations of repeatedly checking the pool water, Asamgo has developed Ofi, for "Intelligent Floating Object", a new luminous and connected object that floats on the surface of the pool and analyzes the water quality in real time.

This complete system allows continuous monitoring of the water parameters, but also to be automatically alerted as soon as an anomaly is detected and to have access to advice on the maintenance actions to be carried out. For maximum convenience, the Smartphone application allows all data to be consulted at any time.

 

Ofi's design is the result of several observations. To keep water clear and healthy, it must be maintained, controlled and corrected regularly. Every pool owner is therefore obliged to measure certain indicators (pH, chlorine, alkalinity level...). These controls, if they were not thought of when the pool was designed by a specific and expensive system, are done manually (tabs or samples). These measurements, which must be regular, do not always give very precise results. Moreover, an analysis carried out late implies the use of more chemicals and a reduced availability of the pool.

 

The answers to these constraints are gathered in Ofi, a unique, designer object, accessible remotely, which automatically analyses the quality of the pool water and alerts the owner wherever he or she is before the water becomes unsuitable for swimming.

Ofi is equipped with probes, whose analysis algorithms have been developed in collaboration with a team from the CNRS, which continuously measure several parameters: pH, chlorine/bromine content, salt, temperature, conductivity, hardness and alkalinity.

LEDs of three colours allow the owner to know the state of his pool at a glance: green light for good quality water, blue for an action to be foreseen and red for a necessary intervention.

These values are precisely reproduced on Smartphone and are accompanied by advice on the maintenance actions to be carried out. The history of the measurements can also be consulted on the application.

 

In the event of any anomaly, the user is immediately notified wherever he is. The user can use the application to order the cleaning products recommended by Ofi. If he wishes, he is free to give access to a professional who will be able to advise him remotely.

 

Extremely simple to use and very intuitive, the system works on its own, requires no intervention on existing equipment, and delivers only the data the user needs. This information is visible directly thanks to the colour of the leds or accessible on Smartphone, via the Sigfox and LoRa networks or via Bluetooth.

 

Ofi is compatible with the Sigfox and LoRa long range networks specially developed for connected objects, allowing it to operate without Wifi and send data to the user even when he is away.

 

Indicative public price: 399 euros including VAT

For sale on : oficoncept.com