Digital twin framework for smart greenhouse management using next-gen mobile networks and machine learning

Due to the increase in world population, arable land has been reduced. Consequently, the concept of urban greenhouses is on the rise. Smart greenhouses need to monitor physical parameters for the healthy growth of plants from remote locations. A digital twin is a representation of physical assets in the digital world, and this emerging technology has opened up opportunities for efficient system development for Industry 4.0. The digital twin receives real-time operational data to monitor the asset in the digital domain. It performs real-time processing, data analysis, and machine learning to predict optimized decisions. In the era of next-generation mobile networks, IoT devices can communicate and perform their remote operations in a timely manner. In smart greenhouse technology, the digital twin could be a revolutionary substitute for real-time remote monitoring and process management. However, there has been limited work on digital twin-driven smart greenhouse technology. In this paper, a process management framework is developed that can be interpreted as a machine learning and cloud-based data-driven digital twin for smart greenhouses. The proposed framework consists of three layers: the physical, fog, and cloud layers. The physical greenhouse measurements are monitored using a highly immersive cloud-based, real-time 3D environment. We present an example architecture using commercial cloud and open-source tools to verify the proof of concept. Additionally, different ML techniques are utilized to predict the operational requirements for smart greenhouses.