Speaker: Premjit Tarafdar
Event: Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA)
SummitHost: Plant & Food Research Institute
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Date: 14 May 2025
At the 2025 Indoor Summit hosted by Plant & Food Research, Premjit Tarafdar introduced ElecSys Lab's latest breakthrough: The Smart Canopy Interface — a multifunctional, adaptive grow lighting and climate system designed to revolutionize energy efficiency, pest control, and crop uniformity in Controlled Environment Agriculture.
Dynamic Light Height Control: Demonstrated how lowering LED arrays closer to the canopy drastically improves PAR delivery while allowing dimming — resulting in up to 80% energy savings compared to fixed-height lighting.
Airflow-Integrated Canopy: Downward airflow reduces stagnant zones and tip burn risk in leafy crops. Maintains laminar microclimate directly at plant level.
LED Heat Recovery: System reuses waste heat from LEDs to warm canopy air layer, reducing winter HVAC energy demands.
Targeted Foliar Delivery: UVB and mist modules mounted on the canopy apply localized treatments — for pest control, foliar nutrition, or fungal suppression.
Thermal Radar Microclimate Mapping: An integrated IR camera scans the canopy to detect hotspots or humidity pockets — enabling preemptive control adjustments.
AI-Triggered Pest Management: Spectral cameras detect early pest or disease presence. UV modules or alerts are triggered automatically.
39.4% energy savings per crop cycle (leafy greens)
Energy cost reduced from ~$1.90/kg to <$0.90/kg
LED lifespan extended by ~40%
Fewer pest events and tip-burn issues
System is modular, retrofittable, and integrates with ElecSys dosing & monitoring stacks
“We’re not just building a light. We’re building a system that listens, adapts, and protects — turning the canopy into an intelligent interface.”