Internationale Partnersuche

Innovation & Technologie Angebot

Customisable light-emitting diode (LED) system for indoor farming

Country of Origin: Singapore
Reference Number: TOSG20200624001
Publication Date: 24 June 2020

Summary

A Singapore research institute has developed a customisable LED light system plus software for indoor farming use. With urban farming on the rise, the technology allows the remote control of lighting and data analytics to improve productivity, reduce energy costs and optimise crop yield.

The technology provider is keen to collaborate with SMEs with the relevant expertise/technologies via licensing agreements to commercialise this technology.

Description

Nearly 80% of the earth's estimated 9.8 billion population will reside in urban centres by the year 2050. In addition, factors such as climate change, limited arable land and pollution will make indoor farming an attractive option. In this scenario, current technologies used in traditional farming will not be adequate.



The technology developed by the Singapore research institute consists of a software and a horticultural LED system to target the two main concerns of urban farming -- operation cost and crop yield. Light quality promotes a healthy seedling with optimal leaf size. It also promotes an extension growth in leaves and stems to maximise yield. The technology allows the remote control of all light characteristics, including spectrum, photoperiod and intensity, depending on the types of crops and stage of growth cycle. Farmers are able to formulate their own personalised "light recipes" and combined with analytics, will be able to optimise energy costs and improve crop yield and productivity. 



Catering to the different plant stages from propagation and growth to flowering, the system is adaptable to various indoor facilities and applications such as indoor vertical farms as well as research centres for crop research and development. Lightweight and easy to install using simple mounting and Plug And Play (PNP) connectors, the system can be adopted by different market segments including: controlled plant R&D for pharmaceutical use, urban food production, vertical farms, laboratories and other education institutions, and home hobbyists.



The Singapore institute is keen to partner MNEs or SMEs of all sizes on a licensing agreement where the partner could license the technology to develop it further into new products or services to be introduced to the market.

Advantages and Innovations

Advantages and innovations of the LED lighting system include:



Personalised configuration

The software is designed for seamless configuration, and can be configured separately and independently for different shelves. This configuration can be fully automated to allow for different environmental parameters at different time frames or growth phases of the crops. 



Smart analysis

The software can analyse and predict "light recipes" the plant canopy is experiencing. Parameters subjected to analysis include light map, light ratio and more. This will shorten the time needed for farmers to measure these parameters and hence, improve productivity. In addition, the software allows farmers to set time periods to run pre-set light intensities according to individual desired needs, thus effectively automating the system. 



The technology achieves significant cost savings, optimises crop yield and reduces R&D time. It offers a versatile lighting solution for different crops and their growth periods. It is scalable and offers a wide coverage of approximately 2 km indoors.

Stage Of Development

Field tested/evaluated

Requested partner

The research institute is interested in partnerships via licensing agreements. The partner sought would provide software system integration or be a supplier for software and hardware that can cater to urban farming or research facilities.