Farm Urban Food Sensor Prototype

Farm Urban pioneers a prototype sensor system to boost food production across Liverpool City Region.

19:38 09 July 2018

An urban farming company, which installs and manages innovative urban farms, has designed a new smart sensor that aims to boost efficiency in food production across the Liverpool City Region. Working with Virtual Engineering Centre and business support programme LCR 4.0, Farm Urban works to enable urban farms to produce low cost food in a sustainable and cost-effective way.

 

The new sensor has been designed to monitor environmental variables, including atmospheric pressure, temperature and light levels. The data is then analysed by urban farmers, which allows them to optimise crop yields and quality.

 

Farm Urban specialises in testing and developing efficient ways to combat problems in the society, such as rising food and energy cost. Working with LCR 4.0, which is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund, the firm was able to employ IoT technologies designed to effectively help farmers decide which environments are best to grow and source food in sustainable way.

 

Dr. Andy Levers, technical director at the Virtual Engineering Centre (University of Liverpool) and technical lead for LCR 4.0 said: “It’s fantastic to see companies like Farm Urban, approaching LCR 4.0 for the resources and expertise needed to fuel their innovative ideas. We’re thrilled to be able to support a project that benefits our society in such a sustainable way.

 

“Farm Urban is unlike any company we have helped before, and the work carried out highlights perfectly how industry 4.0 technologies can be deployed in all sectors.”