CARROT - Irrigation Device

Over the course of 4 months I had the pleasure of working alongside 5 fellow engineering students to create an economically viable as well as environmentally sustainable solution for our client. Youth Opportunities Unlimited, is a non-profit charity based out of London, Ontario and supports youth to build skills, confidence, and independence to reach their potential. Unfortunately, YOU was having trouble growing and maintaining the crops on their rooftop garden.

In order to improve water efficiency and increase crop yield, our team designed an autonomous irrigation system which included 4 main sub-systems and could fulfill the watering needs of the numerous rooftop plants at a production cost 75.4% lower than the clients initial budget.

I was tasked with designing the inverted watering spike which had the ability to regulate how much water different sections of the garden received – thus ensuring that each plant species received its optimal water intake.

This responsibility taught me both soft skills, such as about problem-identification and ideation, as well as hard skills, such as computer-aided design and 3D printing.

I called my design C.A.R.R.O.T. – standing for Customizable and Automated Resource Regulation and Optimization Technology!

The design is constructed out of 3 main sections:

Intake Top: Can be inserted into a hole drilled in the hose and features 4 holes onto which zip ties can be attached. The thin top piece is asymmetrical and should be oriented so that the shorter section is positioned into the face of incoming water flow – water can then hit the taller part and be directed down into the internals of the watering spike.

Control Block: A peg is inserted inside to control how much water actually flows down to the plant. More covered holes = less flow; Less covered holes = higher flow rate.

Distribution Spike: Features 2 ridges that fit the zip ties in order to avoid slippage. The spiked shape delivers water deep into the soil and root structure of the plants (deep watering is better for plant health than shallow watering).

The unique part of this design is that it is quite easy to 3D print due to its separate sections allowing support material to be easily removed.

Each piece can also be easily modified to accommodate a wide variety of unique watering needs.

For example, the control block can be altered to have a clip on its side so that it can be securely attached to the wall of a raised plant bed.

Furthermore, the distribution spike height can be adjusted based on the root depth of the specific plant or feature more holes so that the flow is more evenly distributed.

As of May 23, 2024, this design is officially recognized

with Open Source Hardware Association Certification!