DEVELOPMENT OF A WIRELESS MONITORED EGG INCUBATION SYSTEM
The integration of electronics into poultry farming offers farmers an opportunity to enhance their efficiency within the industry. By automating the control of temperature and humidity, this system caters to the specific requirements of various poultry breeds, aiming to optimize their management processes. The incubator system overview highlights its interconnected components, centered around a Raspberry Pi microcontroller. It integrates sensors (temperature, humidity, light, relay), a web camera, and a step motor. The Raspberry Pi processes data from sensors, while the light sensor controls the step motor, web camera, and relay. Data is transmitted to a server via the Internet. The web camera captures real-time images inside the incubator, enabling breeders to remotely monitor conditions via a web service. The Raspberry Pi-controlled step motor rotates the egg shelf for optimal incubation, while the light sensor detects heat from incandescent bulbs. Temperature and humidity sensors maintain the ideal environment, and the relay regulates the incubator’s temperature and humidity devices. Data is transmitted via the internet to a server, where a web service application stores it in a database. This system provides breeders with control and monitoring capabilities for their chicken egg incubator. For the system to be improved, it is recommended that: future systems should leverage on machine learning algorithms, to optimize incubation processes for improved hatchability rates; Integrate the wireless monitoring system with a secured cloud platform for data storage, analysis, and collaboration; and a user-friendly interface with intuitive visualizations should be developed for easy navigation and effective utilization by breeders.
Keywords: Wireless monitored incubator, Remote Monitoring, System development, Incubator Efficiency, Poultry production
