Smart Food Tech: IoT Curing Chamber for Himalayan Chhurpi & Sukuti

Educational Notes

This project is designed to be accessible to students from Class 4 to Masters level, with complexity scalable to match different age groups and skill levels.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand basic electronics and circuitry principles
• Learn sensor applications and data collection techniques
• Develop problem-solving skills through hands-on building and troubleshooting
• Apply programming concepts to control hardware and process data
• Connect projects to real-world Nepalese contexts and challenges

Adaptability:

• For younger students (Class 4-8): Focus on assembling pre-built circuits, observing results, and understanding basic concepts
• For intermediate students (Class 9-12): Modify code, experiment with parameters, and explore underlying principles
• For advanced students (Undergraduate/Masters): Optimize designs, add features, conduct research extensions, and analyze performance

Safety Note: Always supervise younger students when working with electricity, heat, or moving parts.

Traditional foods like Himalayan Hard Chhurpi and Buff Sukuti are high-value export items from Nepal. Automated drying ensures hygiene and uniform moisture extraction.

Hardware Bill of Materials (In Stock at Ghumti Pasal):

1. Controller: UNO R3 ATMEGA328P-PU Development Board with 30cm cable
2. Climate Sensor: DHT22 Digital Temperature and Humidity Sensor AM2302 Module
3. Weight Sensor: Load Cell Module 20KG + HX711 24-Bit ADC Module
4. Power Actuator: 1 Low Current DC Control AC Solid State Relay Module Low Level Trigger 5V
5. Display: 1602 (16x2) LCD Display with I2C/IIC interface - Blue Backlight

Circuit Pinout & Wiring Connections:

Arduino Control Code

#include <Wire.h>
#include <LiquidCrystal_I2C.h>
#include <DHT.h>

#define DHTPIN 2
#define DHTTYPE DHT22
DHT dht(DHTPIN, DHTTYPE);
LiquidCrystal_I2C lcd(0x27, 16, 2);

const int heaterSSR = 6;
const float targetTemp = 38.0;

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
  dht.begin();
  lcd.init();
  lcd.backlight();
  pinMode(heaterSSR, OUTPUT);
}

void loop() {
  float currentTemp = dht.readTemperature();
  float currentHum = dht.readHumidity();

  lcd.setCursor(0, 0);
  lcd.printf("Temp: %.1f C", currentTemp);
  lcd.setCursor(0, 1);
  lcd.printf("Hum: %.1f %%", currentHum);

  if (currentTemp < targetTemp - 0.5) {
    digitalWrite(heaterSSR, HIGH); // Heat on
  } else if (currentTemp > targetTemp + 0.5) {
    digitalWrite(heaterSSR, LOW);  // Heat off
  }
  delay(1000);
}