Setup & User Guide
XRP ForumProduct Overview
Imagine a classroom where students do not just read about the future of agriculture, they build it. The AgXRP Starter Kit is an open-source, autonomous robotics platform that bridges the gap between STEM education and sustainable farming. By utilizing affordable electronics and modular 3D printing, this kit provides an accessible system that turns complex precision agriculture into an engaging, hands-on learning experience. Students will gain practical skills in programming, data analysis, and automation as they design, build, and optimize their own small-scale smart farms.
This kit goes beyond basic robotics by providing an interdisciplinary curriculum that integrates robotics, precision agriculture, and horticultural science, enabling students to tackle real-world farming challenges.
- Custom Smart Farms: Learn about robotics and agriculture by constructing your own automated plant care system.
- Data-Driven Growth: Utilize data analysis, capacitive soil sensors, and peristaltic pumps to optimize crop growth and completely automate watering cycles.
- Open-Source Access: Gain full access to all 3D printable files, a comprehensive parts list, and detailed assembly instructions to build and modify your system.
As technology in modern farming advances, it’s essential that educational tools evolve to prepare the next generation of farmers to meet global food demands. From coding sensors to optimizing harvest cycles, this kit equips students to explore automation, sustainability, and data-driven agriculture, all while growing their own food and deepening their understanding of the technology shaping our future.
Hands-On Agricultural Automation
This kit includes all the necessary hardware to create a functional, automated plant-care station, with every component playing a specific role in the table-top farm's operation.
The SparkFun XRP Controller serves as the brain of your farm, coordinating incoming sensor data and managing the timing of your automation cycles. It features a Raspberry Pi® RP2350B dual-core processor preprogrammed with AgXRP firmware; 16MB of flash and 8MB of PSRAM; a low-power accelerometer + gyroscope 6-DoF IMU (LSM6DSOX from STMicroelectronics®); two Qwiic® connectors for easy integration of sensors and accessories; two dual-channel motor drivers for four motors total; four servo headers; a user button; a full-color RGB LED; 0.1in. headers for electrical expansion possibilities, and more. Wireless connectivity is available via a Raspberry Pi® RM2 radio module, enabling 2.4GHz WiFi and Bluetooth® for remote control and IoT projects.
Instead of just observing a plant, students actively build the systems that keep it healthy.
- Automated Watering: Students construct a custom peristaltic pump using the Hobby Motor with Encoder, Deep Groove Ball Bearings, and the AgXRP Single Pump Enclosure. This allows for the precise delivery of water through the included Latex Tubing.
- Accurate Soil Monitoring: The SparkFun Qwiic Soil Moisture Sensor connects to the controller via a Flexible Qwiic Cable to provide real-time data on exactly when a plant needs hydration.
- Structural Support: The AgXRP frames and enclosures provide a stable foundation for the electronics, ensuring your hardware remains secure and organized during long-term experiments.
Looking to expand your setup? You can add up to three AgXRP Pump & Soil Moisture Sensor Expansion Packs to your base AgXRP Starter Kit, allowing you to automate and monitor four independent planting zones at the same time.
Collaborative STEM Ecosystem
To ensure this platform prepares students for real-world challenges, we partnered with organizations driving actual change in communities nationwide. This includes leading academic institutions such as Cornell University and the University of Idaho.
Because this is a Beta release, we are actively looking for educators, students, and community partners to help shape its future. Whether you want to pilot the AgXRP, contribute to curriculum development, or support broader outreach efforts, you are joining a growing community dedicated to building the future of food, one line of code at a time.
