Here is new finished design of Daisy.si device.

Daisy.si website: http://daisy.si/
Daisy.si configuration tool: http://daisy.si/dv1/
Daisy.si User maual: http://daisy.si/dv1/Daisy_dv1_EN_rv0.2.pdf

Growing plants is a very pleasant experience. It is nice to watch a seed grow into a plant that delights us with blossoms and gives us delicious fruits. But our pace of life gives us little chance to keep the exact rhythm of watering the plants according to their needs. There are a lot of different irrigation systems on the market, but they all have some sort of deficiency. Some continuously water the roots, some timer systems water even when it is not necessary, some rely on the water supply network. Since we did not find a product that would fully satisfy us on the market, we developed our own. While we were developing it, we were thinking about the ideal way for a plant to be watered, about the way a conscientious gardener does it if only the time permits it. That is why our plant watering device continuously measures the soil moisture content, and when the soil is too dry the Daisy.si waters it from a container which has water at an appropriate room temperature, is not hard and can even be enriched with a fertilizer.

Our plant watering device is an all-in-one compact device. It consists of a soil moisture sensor, a LED light to signal the soil moisture content, a light sensor and an extremely advanced water dosing valve. It can be used anywhere, since we only need a container with water, a small water tube and the Daisy.si device.

It can be used anywhere. One only needs the Daisy.si and a water container that is a slightly higher off the ground. When you put the Daisy.si into the soil, it automatically turns on.

You can water plants in greenhouses, seedlings or it can be used outside, for example, for watering tomatoes in large containers.

Ways to use Daisy.si watering device

1. The plant can be watered at the base with the capillarity doing its job.
2. The plant can be watered from above.
3. Each plant can be watered by its own Daisy.si.
4. Plants sharing a common base can be watered at the same time.
5. Several Daisy.si devices can share the same tube and water supply.
6. If the plants and pots are of the same type, the tube can branch out after Daisy.si

Daisy.si enables the plant to be watered adequately by continuously measuring the soil moisture content. Depending on this information it decides when it is the right time to water. It is important that the soil goes through different stages: at first it contains a lot of moisture, then it dries up before it is finally watered again. If we leave the soil to dry up a bit, we prevent the roots from rotting and stop moss and mold from accumulating on the soils surface.

The graph shows how the soil moisture content changes if Daisy.si is set to water the plant when the moisture is under 40%.

Through a website via your smartphone, tablet or PC, you can access and set different settings. You can set the upper and the lower limits of humidity, the amount of liquid released during watering - from about 0.1 dl up to 300 liters (2 seconds - 8 hours) or select the Auto-detect function which uses an advanced algorithm to slowly add water while calculating how much water is needed for each watering. You can also choose whenever to water at night or during the day.

Daisy.si is an extremely technologically sophisticated watering device, working up to 2 years of active use. It has a function that automatically turns it off when pulled out of the soil. Its power is drawn from two AAA batteries which are easily obtainable and replaceable.

• works with 2x AAA batteries to up to 2 years in active use
• measures soil’s humidity content
• 6mm water tube
• rain and humidity resistant
• auto turn on function when it is put into the soil
• function for automatically detection of the required water amount for irrigation (2s - 8h or from about 0.05 liters of water to 300 liters of water)
• settings can be adjusted through a website using a computer, tablet or smart phone - OS independent
• valve operated
• LED indicator of soil’s moisture content (red, green, blue)
• low battery warning
• “turn off on empty battery” function that prevents water from spilling
• alerts you when the water tank is empty
• dimensions: 28mm x 42mm x 55mm
• weights about 80g

Development of the Daisy.si itself lasted about 2 years. When developing it, we faced many challenges - we had to develop our own highly energy-efficient, reliable and affordable water valve, which took us a lot of time to perfect its functioning. The circuit had to be technologically advanced as well if we wanted it to save energy and be resistant to different temperatures and water. That is why the device underwent extensive product testing and practical application. A very big challenge was to prepare the product for production - to optimize the assembly speed for the product while keeping it at a high quality and affordable at the same time.

Pictures of prototypes:

We are ready for the production of the Daisy.si watering devices. We agreed on a fixed price for  the plastic injection mold and we have a deal with the manufacturers of printed circuit boards for machine placement, soldering and painting of the printed circuit boards. We also acquired reliable and quality sources for our electronic components. The product is trialed and tested.

At this point we really need your help. With the funds collected from contributions we will be able to acquire a large volume of top quality components, order plastic injection molds, start the production and supply the first series of Daisy.si devices at a reasonable price.

With your support you will also contribute to further development of various products that we have ideas and plans on realizing - ideas for automation of plant cultivation. Daisy.si is only the first of many device.

please follow us here.

Andrej Nastran - leader and developer of the Daisy.si project, prototype author, valve closing system, electronics

Peter Nastran - inventor of the concept for plant watering, early prototypes

3D printing Formias: http://formias.com/
Watering device: Automatic flower watering

We are very well prepared for production. During the development process we made sure that the product would be easy to make, affordable and reliable. We have carefully calculated all costs and got the pro forma invoices from our electronic components suppliers. We are very well aware of our responsibility to do our best to deliver great results and a reliable product. We will constantly keep you informed about the progress of the products production and about any possible problems or delays.

Thank you!

If you have any question please send us a comment on the project page or email us to info@daisy.si

Is the shipping cost included?

Yes. The shipping and the EU tax are included in the price. In case of customs duties, the expenses are covered by you.

Why does the final version not have solar cells anymore, like the prototype did?

Solar cells are very expensive and so is a quality rechargeable battery. The solar cells worked out great on the prototype, but we think its implementation should wait for a while because of the production costs that would require a lot more orders to be able to make it.

Why is it not possible to use Bluetooth to change the settings of the product?

We were thinking about the possibility at the very beginning. It has some advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is that Bluetooth would enable the setting and monitoring of more several more options. The disadvantage is that this would make the product more expensive since we would need to develop applications for iOS , Android , Windows Phone etc. Not to mention the shortened battery life. However, there still is a possibility that a future product would have BT support.

Can water spill over the edge of the base?

With the auto-detect function there is little chance that the water could spill unless if the base were to be extremely shallow. However, if you manually set an excessive amount of water, it will spill.

Do you offer a warranty on the product?

Of course. We guarantee a warranty to up to 2 years. (EU)

Can the device be used outside ?

Yes, Daisy.si is resistant to sun, rain and moisture.

Where will the product be made and from where will it be sent ?

The Daisy.si devices will be made in the EU. They will be sent from the EU.

What happens if the container runs out of water?

The Daisy.si registers that automatically after a few unsuccessful watering attempts and starts to warn us with sound and light signals. We resolve the alarm and empty container by refilling the it and/or manually watering the plant. The device will noticed our intervention and will turn off the alarm.

Is this product patented?
Yes, this product and solutions inside are patent pending.