Epilepsy, Nature & Arduino: Building a Life-Enhancing Garden Automation Project

Community General Discussion
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Hello everyone,

I am addressing you with a personal request and at the same time an idea that could make sense not only for me, but perhaps one day for other people in a similar situation.

I have been at home for more than 7 years due to epilepsy and social phobia, I cannot work and spend most of my time in rest mode. What makes sense to me and helps me cope with psychological pressure is taking care of plants and monitoring their growth. Recently, I was given the opportunity to try professional soil moisture sensors (VWC) for free, which led me to the idea that I could take my research further thanks to a datalogger and automation.

And so I discovered the world of Arduino – quite recently, precisely because of the search for a solution on how to connect and collect data from sensors. After a few days of learning, searching and thinking about connecting sensors, power, data and logic, a large-scale idea for a project was born in my head. At its core would be an Arduino Uno R4 WiFi and Grove Base Shield, with sensors for measuring temperature, air and soil humidity, calculating VPD, controlling irrigation and displaying values ​​on the display.

In short, something like a fully automated growing assistant, controlled according to sensor data. For example, turning on irrigation according to VWC values ​​(and dryback), humidifying according to VPD, monitoring EC and pH of the soil, CO₂ and other parameters to create an ideal environment. Everything would run on Arduino with logic in the code.

Unfortunately, due to my illness, I do not have the finances to buy all the necessary components - although I try to choose the cheapest possible options and do everything as simply as possible. So I would like to ask you very much if there is anyone who could support me - for example, by sponsoring or donating unused sensors, cables, Grove components, displays, relay modules, etc.

I want to build the whole thing not only for myself, but also as an example that even in difficult life situations, meaningful projects can be created. Arduino has given me a new motivation and desire to learn, create and move forward.

If you could help me in any way, I would be extremely grateful.

With great respect and thanks, Jayg47.

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Deleted text:

I do not have the finances to buy all the necessary components

This troll comes begging for money and MY post gets deleted?

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Thank you for your comment. I understand your point – many people don't need technology to work with soil, and that's perfectly valid.

However, in my case, technology is not about replacing nature, but about understanding it better. Due to my medical condition, I'm limited in what I can physically do, but using tools like Arduino gives me the ability to study and care for plants in a way that I otherwise couldn't.

This project is not just about gardening – it's about creating a personal scientific system that helps me track environmental conditions, automate irrigation, and collect data that improves my growing methods. For me, it's both therapy and science.

I truly appreciate any constructive feedback or support from this community – it's a big part of helping me grow this idea into something real.
Hi,
I just want to clarify a misunderstanding: I did not delete any posts, and I never would. I value all feedback – even if critical – as long as it's respectful and constructive.

My original post was shared with the intention of explaining my situation honestly and asking if there's a possibility of support for a personal project that helps me stay mentally active and focused despite health challenges. I’m not here to scam or ask for money – I’m just trying to build something meaningful with limited resources and hopefully inspire others too.

If my post sounded inappropriate in any way, I’m open to rephrasing or improving it. My only goal is to explore new knowledge through Arduino and share that journey. Thank you to everyone who takes the time to read or respond constructively.

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Before my post was deleted by an un-named user, without notification of reason, I stated "you do not need computers to plant and tend soil. I live in the same world."

You do not need a preamble. Just ask your technical questions and receive technical answers. We live in the same world.

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Since you appear to want to produce a 'professional' solution, you need to acquire professional education. It will take several years to become a programmer. Once you do that, then try a fundraiser for the parts you need.
BTW, I am autistic. I have over 50 yrs experience and am retired for 20 yrs from my own company that employed myself and 2 other professional programmers.

1 Like
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  • At the Arduino level, you can learn C++ programming and electronics without spending a lot of money.

  • The Tutorial Forum has many tutorials on how to accomplish things in software.

  • The Hardware Forum is the place to go when you have hardware related questions.

  • When starting out, you will probably spend most of your time in the Programming Forum.

  • Have you seen this in the news lately ? Focused ultrasound
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Hello,

Thank you for your response and for sharing your experience — 50 years is truly admirable. I fully agree that becoming a professional programmer takes time and dedication. However, my current goal is not to become a full-time developer, but to build a functional prototype that helps with my garden research and personal well-being. I’m learning every day and just trying to take it one step at a time, with guidance where possible. I appreciate your honesty and insight.

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Hi,

Thank you — that’s actually very helpful. I’m already exploring the Tutorial and Hardware forums and trying to get better at C++. I’ll make sure to use the appropriate subforums for my questions going forward. I really appreciate that you took the time to offer constructive advice.

Your comment, though I wasn’t sure how it connected to my project or post. I looked into "focused ultrasound" and understand it's a medical technique, but I don't think it's something currently available where I live, and I’m not sure how it relates to Arduino or electronics. Still, thank you for your input — perhaps you had something specific in mind I missed?

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  • Nothing to do with Arduino.

  • It’s something in the news 4 days back, thought it was very interesting; patients were followed, had extremely good results with stopping seizures.
    Maybe something to stay up-to-date on or informed about.

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Thank you very much for the information.

I wasn't aware of that recent news about focused ultrasound - probably because in my country I haven't heard about it on the news or from doctors. This is something completely new to me, but I will definitely take the time to read more about it.

In my case, the situation got more complicated over time. About two years after my epilepsy diagnosis and treatment started, I began to suffer from serious psychological issues – mainly social phobia and anxiety – which have made it impossible for me to function in normal life, including working or spending time among people.

I've tried to get professional mental health support, but unfortunately in my country most doctors are fully booked and not accepting new patients. and neurology does not consider psychological problems as a connection with epilepsy, so it is difficult to find any understanding here compared to countries where research in medicine is much ahead. I've had no access to psychological treatment, even though the symptoms have greatly affected my life.

Gardening and research in has helped me a lot – it allows me to focus on something meaningful and take my mind off the struggles caused by my condition. That's also what led me to small-scale research and eventually to the world of Arduino, where I now try to create useful projects around plants and automated monitoring.

I still suffer from short-term memory loss, focus problems, occasional confusion, and head tremors - but I haven't experienced a strong seizure in a long time. In the beginning, I had status epilepticus and was in a coma for several days, which completely changed my life. But I try to keep moving forward and find some peace through creativity and small personal projects.

Thanks again for your thoughtful message. I really appreciate it.

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  • Many here use the ESP32 controller.
    Can be used as a WIFI server for WEB pages, you can use a smart phone/desktop/laptop to view your data thru WEB pages.
  • However, you should master both software and hardware using UNO/NANO/similar before moving to more sophisticated controllers.
  • What country/timezone are you in ?
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Thank you very much for your helpful reply — I really appreciate you taking the time.

Yes, sending sensor data to the cloud and visualizing it in a dashboard or web app is exactly what I had in mind from the start. My goal is to build a system that helps me better understand how plants respond to their environment — and collecting data in real time is essential to that.

I also plan to add a display directly onto the waterproof box lid, so I can quickly check live values without needing to open an app. But the cloud connection remains key, as I want to analyze historical graphs, track trends, and gain deeper insights over time.

Right now, I'm not using Uno yet, but I chose the Arduino Uno R4 WiFi as the foundation of my project. While something like the ESP32 could be more powerful or budget-friendly, I've found that many components, shields, and modules I want to use are designed specifically for the Uno format. This includes a sensor shield, which would allow me to create clean, professional cabling — no messy connections, and easier upgrades in the future.

I really want the system to be as tidy and modular as possible — not just for functionality, but also to give me peace of mind as I grow the project. I’m still learning, but every step feels meaningful.

Thanks again for being part of that journey and offering your support! If I’m wrong about something and just haven’t found the right components, I’d appreciate the warning. I really appreciate it. and I’m from central Europe (GMT +2)