The GEM system is a computer-controlled environmental management system that monitors greenhouses to ensure they maintain optimal growing conditions. The system uses command modules to track greenhouse devices such as vents, heaters, fans, hot-water mixing valves, curtains, and lights to keep them operating at the levels the grower has specified. Parameters GEM regulates include outside and inside temperature, soil temperature, humidity, wind strength and direction, carbon dioxide levels, and time of day or night. GEM continually evaluates ambient conditions to determine which commands to send to the command modules. Commands are updated once a minute to main-tain ideal growing conditions in the greenhouse.
Users can set up independent zones within the greenhouse for different types of plants and flowers.
GEM control devices and monitors are integrated to work in unison. The PC hardware can also run word-processing and other applications simultaneously with the GEM program. GEM can be monitored by modem and fully controlled with a remote terminal. If environmental parameters exceed the specified range, GEM sets off an alarm at the remote site to alert the grower. All GEMs come with computer-override systems, although manual switches are also available.