Optical elements and compositions are provided which include an extruded polymer, and a plurality of fluorophores disposed within. The fluorescent compositions have quantum yields greater than 50% and are stable in performance over long durations of time under oxygen, moisture, and light exposure. In some embodiments, the extruded polymer is prepared as pellets, microparticles, nanoparticles, or films.

Embodiments relate generally to a cooling system. One embodiment relates to a cooling system that rejects heat to a fluid loop or water coil that is upstream of an evaporator. Embodiments find particular use in connection with humidity and temperature ontrol systems for indoor uses, non-limiting examples of which include indoor pool environments, indoor agriculture growing facilities, or other indoor facilities that require humidity and temperature control.

The invention relates to a switching device for switching an electric motor, comprising a control unit which is configured to provide a first switching signal for the electric motor, a memory which is configured to store at least one end position, and a position sensor which is configured to provide the control unit with an electrical position signal which indicates a measured position, wherein the control unit is connected communicatively to wireless communication means and is configured to store the measured position in the memory as said at least one end position on the basis of the position signal in response to a received first instruction, and wherein the control unit is configured to provide the first switching signal by comparing the stored end position and a position signal measured by the position sensor. The invention also relates to a drive with such a switching device and a method for setting up such a switching device.

An integrated modular and scalable fogponics crop growth system for cultivating a crop includes an upper growth chamber housing a leafy portion of a crop, a lower growth chamber housing a root portion of the crop, a nutrient tank and dispenser, and an environmental system. The nutrient dispenser is coupled to the nutrient tank holding a nutrient mixture for sustaining the crop. The dispenser atomizes the nutrient mixture into a nutrient fog using a booster pump and a high pressure pump capable of generating approximately 800 PSI to 1500 PSI. The high pressure pump is operatively coupled to a nozzle configured to dispense the atomized nutrient fog, substantially between 6 microns and 15 microns droplet size, into the lower growth chamber. Temperature and humidity are separately controlled in the leaf area.

A growth system includes growth trolleys each having at least one carrier configured to support products for growing, and a growth hub including equipment facilitating growth of products from a group comprising fluid supply, nutrient supply, and the like. At least one of the growth hub and the growth trolleys is displaceable relative to the other of the growth trolleys and the growth hub to furnish at least one growth facilitating function to products in at least one of the trolleys, when the at least one of the growth trolleys is adjacent to the growth hub.

An air treatment chamber of a cultivation greenhouse. The air treatment chamber includes: at least one inlet for recycling air, delivering air from at least one cultivation zone of the greenhouse; at least one fresh air inlet, delivering air from outside of the greenhouse; and at least one air outlet for feeding the at least one cultivation zone. The fresh air inlet is formed in a lower part of the chamber. An upper part of the chamber, extending above the air inlet, is equipped with elements for passing light to the interior of the greenhouse.

One variation of a method for deploying sensors within an agricultural facility includes: accessing scan data of a set of modules deployed within the agricultural facility; extracting characteristics of plants occupying the set of modules from the scan data; selecting a first subset of target modules from the set of modules, each target module in the set of target modules containing a group of plants exhibiting characteristics representative of plants occupying modules neighboring the target module; for each target module, scheduling a robotic manipulator within the agricultural facility to remove a particular plant from a particular plant slot in the target module and load the particular plant slot with a sensor pod from a population of sensor pods deployed in the agricultural facility; and monitoring environmental conditions at target modules in the first subset of target modules based on sensor data recorded by the first population of sensor pods.

The present invention relates to a hydroponic system including an enclosure, the enclosure comprising a top, a bottom, and a plurality of sides defining an interior, the interior containing within one or more plants. The hydroponic system further includes a plurality of lights, comprising a light located on the top, and at least two lights, each of the at least two lights located on at least two sides, wherein all the lights are positioned to illuminate the plants within the enclosure. The hydroponic system may further include a light controller, a water system, a fan system, and a sensor system. The hydroponic system may be controlled via an enclosure-mounted control panel or via a remote interface coupled to a remote user device.

A photo-selective light spectrum-modifying net for use in citrus fruit production, the net comprising a woven array of parallel and mutually spaced first threads and an array of parallel and mutually spaced second threads, the second threads being inclined to the first threads to define an array of openings between the first and second threads, wherein the first threads are uncolored and composed of a first polymer which is selected from a polymer incorporating a white pigment or dye, a transparent polymer or a translucent polymer, and the second threads are colored red and composed of a second polymer which incorporates a red pigment or dye, the second threads being adapted to transmit, scatter and reflect electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength range of from 640 to 680 nm. Also disclosed is a method of producing citrus fruit using the net.

One variation of a method for automating transfer of plants within an agricultural facility includes: dispatching a loader to autonomously deliver a first module—defining a first array of plant slots at a first density and loaded with a first set of plants at a first growth stage—from a first grow location within an agricultural facility to a transfer station within the agricultural facility; dispatching the loader to autonomously deliver a second module—defining a second array of plant slots at a second density less than the first density and empty of plants—to the transfer station; recording a module-level optical scan of the first module; extracting a viability parameter of the first set of plants from features detected in the module-level optical scan; and if the viability parameter falls outside of a target viability range, rejecting transfer of the first set of plants from the first module.