Nanoflex Power Corporation — Department of Agriculture SBIR Phase I: 8.130000000000001

Description

Project SummaryOrganic Photovoltaic Powered Wireless Sensor and Automation System for IndoorAgriculture1 Program Director: Richard L. Field III Ph.D.1 Principal Investigator: Adam J. Barito Ph.D.1 NanoFlex Power CorporationProblem/OpportunityControlled-environment agriculture is a crucial tool to combat the increasing pressures of climatechange and population growth on food systems but requires relatively expensive sensorautomation systems to maximize crop yield. Current indoor agriculture sensor systems use wiredpower and require expert labor to set up. Many rely on limited energy replaceable batteries andproblematic infrared communication with no internet (cloud) communication for better plantgrowth optimization.Project Objectives/DescriptionIn this Phase I program NanoFlex will develop the first completely wireless Internet of Things(IoT) sensor system that uses LED light harvesting driven by NanoFlex's organic photovoltaic(OPV) with twice the energy harvesting potential of other solar technologies in indoor light.NanoFlex will optimize an OPV cell to the LED light most commonly used in indoor farms andoptimize the power management of the electronics to run on minimal power. Superior energyharvesting under LED light will enable completely wireless installations to operate for many yearswithout battery replacements broader bandwidth and unlimited frequency of data communicationto the cloud. We will develop and demonstrate working sensor and automation systems in fiveU.S.-based vertical farms and greenhouses with two commercial partners.Anticipated Result/BenefitsA successful program will produce a wireless sensor automation system that can be easilyretrofitted into existing vertical farms and greenhouses or new installs. This will lead to acommercially available wireless IoT sensor system that works in all lighting conditions enablingcrop optimization yield improvement and reduction of resources used to grow plants.