I Connected My Farm To The Internet. Now What? - Lars Klint - NDC Sydney 2024

The speaker connected his farm to the Internet primarily to monitor llamas and water tanks, starting as a hobby project that evolved into a product development case study

Key technical implementation involved:

• Cat6 network cables (900+ meters installed)
• Multiple IP cameras from Ubiquiti
• Home Assistant for automation
• Azure AI services for llama detection
• OBS Studio for video streaming

Critical product development lessons:

• Listen to user feedback and community input
• Start simple and iterate based on real needs
• Focus on solving actual problems (like water tank monitoring)
• Consider maintenance requirements upfront
• Build with scale in mind

Success metrics emphasized:

• Reliability of the system
• Time and money saved through automation
• User engagement and community growth
• System maintainability
• Value delivered to users

Infrastructure challenges faced:

• Limited internet bandwidth (100GB/month)
• Power reliability issues
• Weather-proofing requirements
• Security considerations
• Remote location constraints

Community building takeaways:

• Respond to all user comments
• Share knowledge openly
• Document the journey
• Provide consistent value
• Build authentic connections with users

Technical architecture evolved to include:

• Segregated IoT networks
• Multiple VLANs for security
• Automated sensors for water/weather
• AI-powered detection systems
• Redundant systems for reliability