Winner of Adaptation Hackathon 2025Queensland Dept. of Primary Industries
My teammate and I won the 2025 Solutions for Adaptation Hackathon with "Cool Cool Bananas" — a smart agricultural solution designed to protect Queensland fruit crops from extreme heat stress.
Representing Queensland University of Technology, we proposed a data-driven watering system that protects crops from rising temperatures while avoiding the "sauna effect"—the humidity buildup that triggers fungal diseases. Our approach focuses on retrofitting existing micro-sprinklers with automated, periodic cooling logic.
As the lead for solution architecture and prototype design, I learned that innovation is rooted in practicality. By conducting deep research into growers' needs and the banana sector's existing infrastructure, we delivered a highly applicable solution that balances technical efficiency with real-world farm management.
Working together to set up the prototype
Presenting our solution to the judges
Presenting our solution to the judges
Receiving the award for our winning solution
Group photo with all the participants and judges at the end of the hackathon
The Challenge
The Heat Threat
Extreme heat in Queensland damages fruit quality and reduces yields, threatening the viability of farms as regional climates warm.
The "Sauna Effect"
Traditional over-watering during heatwaves creates high humidity, which promotes devastating fungal diseases like Sigatoka.
Design Rationale
Opportunity60% of growers already have micro-sprinklers installed.
Low BarrierRetrofitting means zero new infrastructure hardware costs.
ReliabilityAutomation removes human error during critical heat windows.
Solution Architecture
Data Triangulation
Aggregation from on-site IoT sensors, Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) API, and neighboring farm data.
Smart Pulsing
Optimized spray intervals (e.g., 2 mins on/15 mins off) to reduce canopy heat without saturating soil.
Threshold Alerts
Instant SMS/Push notifications when ambient conditions exceed biological safety limits.
Community Data
Anonymized regional heat maps to help the community prepare for localized heatwaves.