Affordable remote monitoring of plant growth in facilities using Raspberry Pi computers

Environmentally controlled facilities, such as growth chambers, are essential tools for experimental research. Automated, low-cost, remote-monitoring hardware can greatly improve both reproducibility and maintenance.

Using a Raspberry Pi computer, open-source software, environmental sensors, and a camera, we developed Growth Monitor pi (GMpi), a cost-effective system for monitoring growth chamber conditions. Coupled with our software, GMPi_Pack, our setup automates sensor readings, photography, and alerts when conditions fall out of range.

GMpi offers access to environmental data logging, improving reproducibility of experiments and reinforcing the stability of controlled environmental facilities. The device is also flexible and scalable, allowing researchers the ability to customize and expand GMpi for their own needs.