Contemporary smart hydroponics systems: Taxonomy, enabling technologies, and challenges

Hydroponic farming is a sustainable agricultural technique that enables plant cultivation without soil. Hydroponics has evolved into a variety of configurations that integrate smart technologies to improve its efficiency and productivity. This paper reviews 40 publications to investigate the contemporary technologies, advantages, and challenges associated with modern hydroponic and aquaponic systems. Recent studies emphasize the role of middleware, Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) in enhancing system functionality. Middleware plays a critical role in facilitating seamless communication between system components. It also enables real-time capabilities through various communication protocols with a focus on quality of service (QoS). IoT and IIoT technologies enable data collection and environmental control, while AI contributes to automation, predictive analytics, and decision support. Together, these technologies help reduce resource consumption, such as nutrients, water, and energy. It also enables scalable, adaptive, and sustainable farming practices. Some of the challenges associated with hydroponic systems include initial development costs, security and privacy concerns, and the complexity of integrating advanced middleware.