ESP32-C3 based soil sensor Plant Bot for fully automated indoor plant care

 The Plant Bot is a cutting-edge, Internet-enabled gadget that makes indoor plant maintenance easier. It integrates automatic watering, light and moisture monitoring, and more into a small, effective device, all built around the ESP32-C3 microprocessor. Using a single PCB to combine a pump driver and a corrosion-resistant capacitive soil moisture sensor, Plant Bot removes the need for additional wire. The Plant Bot provides a stylish solution for plant lovers by automating plant watering and monitoring. With daily updates, the gadget may run for up to a week on a single charge when powered by a coin cell battery via USB. 

A rapid visual indicator of soil conditions is provided by a multi-color LED, which turns blue for wet soil and red for dry soil. The PCB has a "Soil Level" line that indicates the maximum safe depth for insertion in order to guarantee long-term endurance. Similar to the ESP32-based TTGO T-Higrow, the Plant Bot offers an all-in-one design rather than separating the sensor and control unit with cabling, as other options like as the Maker Uno RP2040 kit, ANAVI Gardening uHAT, and Eduponics Mini v2.0 do.

Specifications and Features

Core Components

• Wireless Module: ESP32-C3-MINI
• RISC-V single-core processor (up to 160MHz)
• Wi-Fi (2.4GHz) and Bluetooth 5.0 BLE connectivity
• Memory: 384 KB ROM, 400 KB SRAM (16 KB cache)
• Storage: 4MB Flash

I/O and Sensors

• USB: USB-C port for power and programming
• Pump Connection: 2-way screw terminal for motorized water pump
• Light Sensor: Vishay TEMT6000X01
• Half-sensitivity angle: ± 60°
• Peak sensitivity: 570nm, ideal for plants
• Moisture Sensor: Capacitive design for durability
• Pump Driver: Texas Instruments DRV8837C motor driver

Additional Features

• Multi-color LED: Soil moisture level indicator
• Pump activation LED and control buttons
• Compact FR-4 PCB design for direct soil insertion

Power Management

• Powered via USB or coin cell battery (700mA 3.3V LDO)
• Battery management: Texas Instruments BQ24073RGTR charger with protections against over-temperature, over-voltage, and short circuits
• Charging current: 1.5A

Plant Bot is an open-source project that can be found on GitHub with comprehensive schematics, source code, and demonstration instructions. It is suitable for users of various ability levels and enables programming via ESP-IDF, MicroPython, or Arduino. The demonstrations that are offered allow for connections with IoT systems such as Thingspeak and Firebase for data tracking, or with Telegram for alerts. Further information may be found on the Hackaday project website.

Thanks to the efforts of ElektroThing, the company behind other well-known products like the Spark Analyzer USB-C PD analyzer, the Plant Bot is accessible on websites such as Tindie and Lectronz for $12. With the Plant Bot, which combines intelligent technology with plant care, you can streamline your indoor gardening routine!