# Transport from farm to factory - using IoT to track food deliveries
# Transport from farm to factory - using IoT to track food deliveries
Many farmers grow food to sell - either they are commercial growers who sell everything they grow, or they are subsistence farmers who sell their excess produce to buy necessities. Somehow the food has to get from the farm to the consumer, and this is usually relies on bulk transport from farms, to hubs or processing plants, then on to stores. For example, a tomato farmer will harvest tomatoes, pack them into boxes, load the boxes into a truck then deliver to a processing plant. The tomatoes will then be sorted, and from there delivered to the customers in the form of retail, food processing, or restaurants.
Many farmers grow food to sell - either they are commercial growers who sell everything they grow, or they are subsistence farmers who sell their excess produce to buy necessities. Somehow the food has to get from the farm to the consumer, and this usually relies on bulk transport from farms, to hubs or processing plants, then on to stores. For example, a tomato farmer will harvest tomatoes, pack them into boxes, load the boxes into a truck then deliver to a processing plant. The tomatoes will then be sorted, and from there delivered to the consumers in the form of retail, food processing, or restaurants.
IoT can help with this supply chain by tracking the food in transit - ensuring drivers are going where they should, monitoring vehicle locations, and getting alerts when vehicles arrive so that food can be unloaded ready for processing as soon as possible.
IoT can help with this supply chain by tracking the food in transit - ensuring drivers are going where they should, monitoring vehicle locations, and getting alerts when vehicles arrive so that food can be unloaded, ready for processing as soon as possible.
> 🎓 A *supply chain* is the sequence of activities to make and deliver something. For example, in tomato farming it covers seed, soil, fertilizer and water supply, growing tomatoes, delivering tomatoes to a central hub, transporting them to a supermarkets local hub, transporting to the individual supermarket, being put out on display, then sold to a consumer and taken home to eat. Each step is like the links in a chain.
> 🎓 A *supply chain* is the sequence of activities to make and deliver something. For example, in tomato farming it covers seed, soil, fertilizer and water supply, growing tomatoes, delivering tomatoes to a central hub, transporting them to a supermarkets local hub, transporting to the individual supermarket, being put out on display, then sold to a consumer and taken home to eat. Each step is like the links in a chain.
> 🎓 The transportation part of the supply chain is know as *logistics*.
> 🎓 The transportation part of the supply chain is know as *logistics*.
In these 4 lessons you'll learn how to apply the Internet of Things to improve the supply chain by monitoring food as it is loaded onto a (virtual) truck which is tracked as it moves to it's destination. You will learn about GPS tracking, how to store and visualize GPS data, and how to be alerted when a truck arrives at its destination.
In these 4 lessons, you'll learn how to apply the Internet of Things to improve the supply chain by monitoring food as it is loaded onto a (virtual) truck, which is tracked as it moves to it's destination. You will learn about GPS tracking, how to store and visualize GPS data, and how to be alerted when a truck arrives at its destination.
> 💁 These lessons will use some cloud resources. If you don't complete all the lessons in this project, make sure you follow the [Clean up your project](lessons/4-keep-your-plant-secure/README.md#clean-up-your-project) step in [lesson 4](lessons/6-keep-your-plant-secure/README.md).
> 💁 These lessons will use some cloud resources. If you don't complete all the lessons in this project, make sure you follow the [Clean up your project](lessons/4-keep-your-plant-secure/README.md#clean-up-your-project) step in [lesson 4](lessons/6-keep-your-plant-secure/README.md).
@ -13,9 +13,9 @@ In the lessons for each project, you may have created some of the following:
* A custom vision project
* A custom vision project
* A cognitive services resource
* A cognitive services resource
Most of these resources will have no cost, either they are completely free, or you are using a free tier. For services that require a paid tier, you would have been using them at a level that is included in the free allowance, or will only cost a few cents.
Most of these resources will have no cost - either they are completely free, or you are using a free tier. For services that require a paid tier, you would have been using them at a level that is included in the free allowance, or will only cost a few cents.
Even with the relatively low costs, it's worth deleting these resources when you are finished. You can only have one IoT Hub using the free tier for example, so if you want to create another you will need to use a paid tier.
Even with the relatively low costs, it's worth deleting these resources when you are done. You can only have one IoT Hub using the free tier for example, so if you want to create another you will need to use a paid tier.
All your services were created inside Resource Groups, and this makes it easier to manage. You can delete the Resource Group, and all the services in that Resource Group will be deleted along with it.
All your services were created inside Resource Groups, and this makes it easier to manage. You can delete the Resource Group, and all the services in that Resource Group will be deleted along with it.
@ -35,4 +35,4 @@ Are you sure you want to perform this operation? (y/n):
Enter `y` to confirm and delete the Resource Group.
Enter `y` to confirm and delete the Resource Group.
This will take a while to delete all the services.
The **T** in IoT is **Things** and refers to devices that interact with the world around us. Each project is based around real-world hardware available to students and hobbyists. We have two choices of IoT hardware to use depending on personal preference, programming language knowledge or preferences, learning goals and availability. We have also provided a 'virtual hardware' version for those who don't have access to hardware, or want to learn more before committing to a purchase.
The **T** in IoT is **Things** and refers to devices that interact with the world around us. Each project is based on real-world hardware available to students and hobbyists. We have two choices of IoT hardware to use depending on personal preference, programming language knowledge or preferences, learning goals and availability. We have also provided a 'virtual hardware' version for those who don't have access to hardware, or want to learn more before committing to a purchase.
> 💁 You don't need to purchase any IoT hardware to complete the assignments, you can do everything using virtual IoT hardware.
> 💁 You don't need to purchase any IoT hardware to complete the assignments. You can do everything using virtual IoT hardware.
The physical hardware choices are Arduino, or Raspberry Pi. Each platform has it's own upsides and downsides, and these are all covered in one of the initial lessons. Review that lesson to decide which hardware platform you are most interested in learning.
The physical hardware choices are Arduino, or Raspberry Pi. Each platform has it's own upsides and downsides, and these are all covered in one of the initial lessons. Review that lesson to decide which hardware platform you are most interested in learning.
@ -33,9 +33,9 @@ All the device code for Raspberry Pi is in Python. To complete all the assignmen
> 💁 Versions from the Pi 2B and up should work with the assignments in these lessons.
> 💁 Versions from the Pi 2B and above should work with the assignments in these lessons.
* SD Card (You can get Raspberry Pi kits that come with an SD Card)
* SD Card (You can get Raspberry Pi kits that come with an SD Card)
* USB power supply (You can get Raspberry Pi 4 kits that come with a power supply). If you are using a Raspberry Pi 4 you need a USB-C power supply, earlier device need a micro-USB power supply
* USB power supply (You can get Raspberry Pi 4 kits that come with a power supply). If you are using a Raspberry Pi 4 you need a USB-C power supply, earlier devices need a micro-USB power supply
### Raspberry Pi specific sensors and actuators
### Raspberry Pi specific sensors and actuators
@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ These are specific to using the Raspberry Pi, and are not relevant to using the
## Sensors and actuators
## Sensors and actuators
Most of the sensors and actuators needed are used by both the Arduino and Raspberry Pi paths:
Most of the sensors and actuators needed are used by both the Arduino and Raspberry Pi learning paths:
* [Grove LED](https://www.seeedstudio.com/Grove-LED-Pack-p-4364.html) x 2
* [Grove LED](https://www.seeedstudio.com/Grove-LED-Pack-p-4364.html) x 2
* [Grove humidity and temperature sensor](https://www.seeedstudio.com/Grove-Temperature-Humidity-Sensor-DHT11.html)
* [Grove humidity and temperature sensor](https://www.seeedstudio.com/Grove-Temperature-Humidity-Sensor-DHT11.html)