IoT-Based Environmental Characterization of Vanilla Processing Facilities Using a Rule-Based Approach

Abstract

Vanilla (Vanilla planifolia) is a high value plantation commodity whose quality after harvesting is highly dependent on the environment during processing. Temperature and relative humidity (RH) are particularly important as they influence moisture transfer, drying stability, microbial risk and processing duration. The study developed and evaluated an IoT-based environmental characterization system employing a rule-based control approach for a vanilla processing environment located in Rembangan, Jember, East Java, Indonesia. The research was designed as a field-oriented experimental study with distributed temperature and RH sensors connected to an IoT gateway and a local rule-based controller. For methodological validation, a synthetic pilot dataset was created, consisting of 336 observations over 14 consecutive days at hourly intervals from three monitoring zones. The environmental variables were characterized in space and time and then were controlled by predefined rules for the ventilation system. The results show that the mean temperature and mean RH of the baseline condition were 23.99 ± 1.86 °C and 82.63 ± 6.90%, respectively. After the rule-based control strategy was implemented, the mean temperature was maintained relatively stable at 23.96 ± 1.47 °C, and the mean RH decreased to 80.30 ± 4.79%.The percentage of observations within the pre-specified operating range of 22–28 °C and 70–85% RH increased from 57.7% during the baseline phase to 76.2% during the rule-based phase. The paired comparison of daily observations showed a significant reduction in RH (p < 0.001) while the difference in temperature was not statistically significant (p = 0.593). These results demonstrate that a lightweight rule-based IoT architecture can improve environmental stability without the need for computationally intensive artificial intelligence. The proposed framework provides a practical basis for the development of a field-validated environmental management system for vanilla post-harvest processing in highland agricultural environments