Looking for a way to grow healthier plants, save time and money? Gnome can help you reduce water, fertilizer and unnecessary labor by precisely monitoring the moisture and fertilizer levels in the soil your plants grow in and controlling watering remotely! It’s easy to install, works with what you have, and is perfect for lawns, gardens, and organic farms.
Here’s how the Gnome works:
Gnome monitors soil condition, and manages watering according to soil moisture, weather and time. Not only will you save a lot of water and fertilizer, you will produce healthier plants. Gnome covers areas with a radius of up to 1km via radio frequency and works with your existing irrigation system. It is solar powered so there are no cables to run and it’s very easy to install.
Gnome’s sensors act as the “eyes” for gardeners and farmers. They check soil and sunlight conditions, and alert you immediately when conditions change significantly. Because accurate data is critical in taking actions, Gnome sensors use industrial level Frequency Domain Reflectometry (FDR) technology to measure water, which is typically only found in much more expensive, non-smart sensors that cost $250 USD or more.
What makes Gnome’s sensors unique is that they can measure soil moisture and fertilizer levels as opposed to water moisture alone. Not only will you get more accurate readings because we adjust for fertilizer's effect on water content, you will also protect the environment by optimizing fertilizer quantities. Check out the effect of fertilizer level on plants:
Developing this technology wasn’t an easy task. It required lots of work in the lab and a good dose of creativity!. But, the end result, which we’re excited to pass on to you, was worth it. Gnome’s sensors come equipped with four metal pins coming out of the base for accuracy. Two pins collect information about water content while the other two collects information about fertilizer levels.
The amount of sunlight present and the temperature of the air also affects how your plants grow. Gnome tracks these factors as well, providing you with valuable feedback for specific plant types.
Demo video:
Sensor test
Gnome’s valves empower you to actively care for your plants by changing how much water different areas of your field, plot, or garden will get - and it’s all done remotely, via our app. You can set Gnome to water by schedule, or automatically based Gnome’s sensor readings. With Gnome, you can water precisely when plants need it, at time that is most efficient (such as early morning) and not watering when it has rained. The result is reduced water waste, less labor for you, and of course, some very happy plants! And you never again have to ask a neighbor to water your garden while you’re away on vacation.
We wanted to make Gnome’s valves easy to deploy and be compatible with as many irrigation / sprinkler system possible. Like Gnome’s sensors, our valves are solar powered, with the ability to connect up to 1km away - eliminating the need to run cables. Gnome’s valves can handle water pressure of up to 115 psi, which easily satisfies the requirements for most gardens and micro farms. And Gnome uses a US adapter thread (0.75 inch female/male), so it’s easily added to virtually any irrigation system.
Another unique feature offered by Gnome’s valves is the addition of a temperature sensor that automatically shuts off the valve if the water is running too hot. This functionality comes in handy in situations when water is stored outdoors and gets excessively heated by the sun during the day.
Gnome’s valve works best with the sensor, which helps gauge the amount of water needed. That said, the sensor is not required for the valve to work and you can manage multiple valves with a single hub if you wish to do zone irrigation.
Quick Test
Gnome’s hub is the control center for Gnome’s sensors and valves. It can link up to 30 nodes(sensors and valves) that are within a 1km radius range, and connects to the Internet via Wi-Fi.
When you’re using Gnome via its app, you’re talking to the Hub. Its primary function is to send data to you and relay your commands to the nodes.
With the ability to control so many nodes up to 1km away, the hub makes Gnome ideal for deploying in many types of farming, gardening and even landscaping setups. When coupled with a hot spot, you can even deploy the Gnome hub anywhere there is a cellular data connection.
Gnome’s app is all about simplicity and convenience. It was designed to help manage the health of your field via your phone or computer, even when you’re far away. Log in to get the latest updates from each sensor, or to control all your water valves. The app sends proactive alerts if your soil becomes too dry, or if water is running too hot. You can set the valves to water according to soil moisture level, schedule and weather.
Gnome’s app will be available on both iOS and Android, and can be accessed on the web usingany modern browser on a Mac or PC.
Want to grow a new plant for the first time? Want to learn more about the plants you already have? Gnome’s app includes a comprehensive plant database that teaches you how to successfully grow the species you’re interested in at your location. Based on plant type, seasonality and location, Gnome tells you what conditions are best for the plant, along with ways you can achieve them. You can use the database to set up how Gnome waters your plants and alert when readings are outside of thresholds.
Gardening
Gnome helps gardeners to grow healthier, more beautiful flowers by closely monitoring and controlling the amount of water and fertilizer present in the soil. Plus, Gnome gives you growing recommendations for each plant during a given season.
Organic Farming
Gnome greatly reduces labor and water costs by allowing you to monitor and control remotely. You can set up different sensors and valves for different sections.
Urban Farming
Gnome’s 1km radius range is ideal for urban farming, whether you’re planting and growing on a rooftop, or in a community garden. In addition, Gnome boosts your urban farming expertise by giving you both detailed data and suggestions for improving the health of your fruits and vegetables, while reducing guesswork, frustration, and labor.
Landscaping
Gnome is also ideal for landscaping and simple lawn watering. You can manage Gnome’s valves without a sensor and set them to water based on a schedule or weather conditions.
Start saving water and time immediately. This kit can easily be expanded by adding more nodes later on.
This kit lets you water automatically based on soil conditions to save even more water, and fertilizes the exact amount your plants need. You are going to love the results.
If you have a bigger garden or a farm and want to start practicing precision agriculture, this kit is for you. Professionals at large farms have been using tools like Gnome for years and now you can get the same benefits of higher crop yield and lower water costs with Gnome at fraction of the price.
This kit is perfect for anybody with a big lawn to water or landscape. Set up automatic watering and monitor a wide area.
Clement Lee, Founder
Pre-Gnome, I worked as a solar energy researcher in Europe, Asia and America for several years. I love backpacking, and as I traveled to many different places, I got a firsthand look at the negative impact humans are having on the environment.
I decided I wanted to use my knowledge as a scientist to help. After learning that 70% of our water usage goes toward growing food, I felt this was the area where I could make the biggest difference. So I became an organic farmer!
My initial attempts at farming were humbling, to say the least. I quickly learned that success comes from really knowing both your land, and the needs of your plants. There was a lot of trial and error involved: a time-consuming process that was rewarding, but also costly.
I want to make it easier for farmers and gardener to grow so that we can have better results using less resources. This led me to develop Gnome, a smart yet simple precision agriculture tool that works with many types of farming and different experience levels.
We launched this campaign to get the funding needed to take Gnome to production and build a community of passionate farmers and gardeners. We want to hear about your farms and gardens and learn how Gnome can help you achieve your goals. Together, we can do our part in securing a sustainable food source for future generations.
As with any hardware project, there’s always the possibility that the supply chain and production aspects of things can cause unexpected delays. Our production team is based in Shenzhen, which allows us much more hands-on approach regarding prototyping and manufacturing. Our expertise in having already taken two hardware products to market significantly lowers the risk of any delays around the Gnome project.
Our main development work for the hardware is done, and our current focus is on doing more testing and optimizing for production while focusing on software development. The funds we raise via Indiegogo will mainly be allocated to covering the cost of software development and production. We’re committed to keeping our backers updated on our progress!
