Internet of Things (IoT)-Based Water Quality Monitoring System (Buoy) and Seaweed Drying Facility
In 2019, BAKTI, in collaboration with STEI ITB, developed an IoT-based seaweed cultivation waters monitoring system in Arso and Sathean Villages, Tual, Maluku. The system consists of: buoy environmental data collectors and dashboard which can be accessed online remoteThe system is currently being used by fishermen and local communities, particularly to determine optimal planting times and detect disease outbreaks early. Furthermore, in Tual, weather and seasons have become increasingly unpredictable in recent months, leading to deviations from conventional planting timing systems. Without real-time data support, significant losses due to crop failure are increasingly likely.
However, utilizing the seaweed cultivation monitoring system is only one part of the long seaweed cultivation process. Currently, seaweed is sold to middlemen in the form of dried seaweed at a relatively low price. Building supporting facilities for further processing can certainly increase the selling value of seaweed cultivated by local communities to middlemen. Therefore, in the following year, we as the STEI ITB team collaborated with PT. PLN Persero to build an IoT-based seaweed drying facility as an integral part of the seaweed monitoring system, thus creating an effective and efficient cultivation ecosystem.
The development of this seaweed monitoring system and drying facility has been found to be extremely beneficial for the Arso village community, particularly in increasing their seaweed production. By utilizing technology to guide planting and harvesting times, their seaweed yields are now significantly better than when they followed conventional planting and harvesting methods, which rely on experience over time.
This facility is also strongly supported by the local government to be developed in other locations in Southeast Maluku Regency in particular, in order to increase the production of quality seaweed.
The inauguration and use of the seaweed drying facility in Arso village was symbolically carried out directly by the Regent of Southeast Maluku.