What is the Internet of Things (IoT) and what does it mean for agriculture?

Tom Yao
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IoT represents an ever-growing network of physical objects (“things”) connected to sensors capable of network connectivity. Sensor networks automate the collection and exchange of crucial operational data from the field. Using LINOVISION LoRaWAN IoT Sensor Solutions for Agriculture, growers can remotely monitor and manage corp, processing, and machinery systems from anywhere, anytime. This also means secure data recording and immediate alerts about issues before they become costly, time-consuming problems.

Business Insider.com reports that the agricultural industry is rapidly becoming more important than ever before. The report predicts a future population of more than 9 billion people by 2050, which dictates world growers will need to produce about 70 percent more food by that time.

This makes the Internet of Things an ag-industry growth factor,  as recognized by Deloitte, a leading audit, consulting, advisory and tax services firm in the U.S. who predicts a “millennial shift from family operations to smart food factories.” By employing automation technology and IoT solutions; operations can keep pace with “Agribusiness” trends and advantages.

Advantages Enabled by IoT Solutions.

1.Food Quality.

2.Operational Efficiencies.

3.Increase Machinery Life Cycle.

4.Food Safety/Regulatory Compliance.

5.Energy Savings.

Ag Sensing.

The opportunities for wireless IoT sensing in agriculture are innumerable, regardless, this section attempts to list a few of the most attractive applications for wireless sensing. A report published by the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development 2016 identifies a plethora of IoT sensor solutions that have track records of saving money in areas such as crop production, food storage, distribution, air monitoring and soil monitoring (Temperature, salinity, PH and water levels). IoT solutions allow growers to leverage sensor data and increase yields and efficiency.

Features and Benefits of Wireless Sensor Solution.

1.Easy set-up and use.

2.Reliable, proven technology.

3.Low-cost.

4.Low battery consumption.

5.Wide-Range wireless coverage.

6.Scalable,Expandable, Industrial standard.

7.Cloud-based monitoring platform.

8.24/7 Access from anywhere.

Commercial Greenhouse:

Commercial greenhouses make up a massive and growing worldwide industry. Like any business, reducing overhead costs, managing facilities and equipment, integrating technology, and streamlining operations, can all be challenges for managers.

But to stay competitive, commercial greenhouse managers need to be on the leading edge of production and facility operations. See how LINOVISION LoRaWAN Sensor Pack for Greenhouse helps commercial growers and facility operations 24/7.

Challenges.

A produce grower saw plant growth variations throughout its new greenhouses. Managers needed to know what was hindering growth in certain areas. They had to do something fast to root out the risk to affected plants. The company wanted a  solution that could quickly assess the situation and get right to work to help fix the problem.

Additionally, they wanted a better overall greenhouse management solution to help them minimize energy use while preventing crop issues using basic yet robust climate controls for temperature, humidity, air quality, water detection, and lighting.

The company wanted to thoroughly monitor the climate in all of its greenhouses and avoid issues like growers unknowingly overcompensating across an entire greenhouse for any area they perceive to be outside of acceptable parameters. After some research, they felt confident that easy-to-use wireless sensors were key to all of their current challenges.

Solution

Results

ROI: Using LINOVISION LoRaWAN Wireless Sensor Pack for Greenhouse Solution, the grower can:

1.Track temperature, humidity, air quality, and water leaks.

2.Lower energy consumption on demand.

3.Maximize efficiency within its growing climates.

4.Increase crop yield in every greenhouse.

5.Lower operating costs across the company.

LINOVISION LoRaWAN Wireless Sensor for Greenhouse Product Portfolio:

Temperature Sensors: The LINOVISION Industrial Temperature Sensor will measure a range of conditions from   -30°C  to + 70°C   and deliever time-stamped readings for easy logging and  graphing.

Humidity Sensors: The scientific-grade Humidity Sensor remotely monitors relative humidity(RH) with a RH(±5%) accuracy, and measuring range between 0% - 100% RH, temperature, and dew point in greenhouse.

Carbon Dioxide Sensors: Carbon Dioxide is a must in greenhouses to fuel photosynthesis and growth. The LINOVISION Wireless CO2 Sensor will alert you if CO2 levels are above or below your ideal settings.

Light Meters: Ideal for measuring light for plants that need more than 12 hours of it, the LINOVISION Wireless Light Meters deliver readings on light intensity in lux(lx) from 0 - 100,000.

Water Detection Sensors: In greenhouses, there are many places a water leak can occur. A LINOVISION Wireless Water Detection Sensor along a pipe or wall can quickly alert you.

Soil Moisture, Temperature and Electrical Conductivity Sensor: The LINOVISION Wireless Soil Moisture Sensor  provides an external probe for receiving accurate and instantaneous information on soil moisture content, temperature, and salinity, it is an important tool for anyone involved with soil.

LINOVISION LoRaWAN G65 Indoor Gateway: With built-in WEB and compatible to multiple IoT Cloud platforms, IP65 rating, NXP Quad-Core processor, Semtech SX1302 LoRa chip, multiple backhaul connectivity, long range wireless transmission and global LoRaWAN frequency plans.

Initially, the grower found that temperature and humidity levels varied widely from one part of a greenhouse to another. Some areas were warmer (partly due to the angle of sunlight), while other areas were cooler with different humidity levels. With a graphical-aerial overview of greenhouse climate, grow managers could adjust each climate while minimizing the energy being used.

Through gateways, the sensors sent information to the LINOVISION G65 Gateway and Cloud. Using LINOVISION Cloud Maps,  the grow managers to drag and drop sensor tags onto the map with live data. Then, they could see the performance of their greenhouses.

The sensors were set to check the temperature every few minutes and record temperatures every 10 minutes. Notifications were set up to alert staff if temperature and humidity levels fell outside of a nominal range, allowing them to adjust the greenhouse climate appropriately.

Post time: May-09-2022