29 August 2018:  Global AgTech innovator Autogrow has unveiled an open-source root zone monitor as part of an ‘open-collaboration’ platform.

“OpenMinderTM is a product that someone can build themselves, but more than that it represents where this industry is going with open-collaboration, APIs and a focus on water sustainability,” explains CEO Darryn Keiller.

“Governments and local legislators around the world are tightening the rules for growers when it comes to water usage and run-off. Growers need to use any and all tools at their disposal to ensure they are not only growing sustainably but have the data to back it up.”

OpenMinderTM is an open-source DIY project from Autogrow targeted to technology developers and for application with small growers. Released under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA license, OpenMinderTM provides an open-source API used in conjunction with a Raspberry Pi HAT.

“Essentially we are giving away water management technology. There are very few people who understand how to design and build these technologies and, for someone motivated enough, we are providing the hardware schematics and source code to do it.”

“OpenMinderTM  is the perfect product for an NGO or government to fund and manufacture for countries whose farmers need a subsidized or free, water run-off or irrigation monitoring system. And from an education perspective, there are high schools all around the U.S. and in other countries introducing classes on hydroponic systems. OpenMinderTM gives them a practical build they can do.”

Autogrow sees OpenMinderTM and other products built with APIs as the future for the industry where tech-savvy growers will demand suppliers work together and provide tools that can integrate seamlessly and give them exactly what they want.

“When I first began shaping the new vision for Autogrow one key realization was to embrace the idea of open collaboration, and this was because the entire tech sector that supported indoor and controlled environment growing was built on closed and proprietary technologies,” says Mr. Keiller.

“Fundamentally, that behavior is a roadblock to accelerating growers and producers’ rapid adoption of new and beneficial technologies. Having polite discussions isn’t changing anything. Robert Stallman, GNU and Linus Torvalds with Linux changed the way that all commercial operating systems got developed by breaking the stranglehold of UNIX, which was dominated by Sun, DEC, and IBM. We are doing the same for agriculture.”

For more information:

OpenMinderTM Getting Started – https://lab.autogrow.com/docs/en/open-source.html

OpenMinderTM Blog post - https://medium.com/the-growroom/monitoring-your-rootzone-with-openminder-fba51b16913

Go to GitHub - https://github.com/autogrow

ENDS

MEDIA QUERIES

Kylie Horomia, Head of Communications
(e) Kylie.horomia@autogrow.com 
(m) +6421 733 025
(w) www.autogrow.com   https://lab.autogrow.com/ www.cropsonmars.com 
Sales queries – Sales@autogrow.com

About Autogrow

Autogrow leverages the power of technology, data science and plant biology to provide indoor growers affordable, accessible and easy-to-use innovation – 24/7, anywhere in the world.

Our hardware, software and data solutions support growers and resellers in over 40 countries producing over 100 different crop types.

We have a depth of experience and passionate, fun people creating original ideas and making them a reality for our growers.