I need project ideas about agriculture.

[mustafauysal]

Hi,
i am an engineering student. I have to do a project with a microntroller (STM32F4). I want to do a project about agriculture. But my knowledge about agriculture is very limited. I thought it would be good to listen experts. I'm currently working on measurements of temperature, humidity, soil moisture and soil temperature. But i didn't think what to do after measure these values. I can send data to aweb maybe. I mean, i think i need a more useful project idea.
I look forward to read your suggestions/ideas.
Best regards.

 

[cquick]

Wide area mesh (LoRaWAN?) network of soil moisture/temperature sensors, each should have a probe with several sensors located at different depths so you can measure the full profile of the soil down to a foot deep. Update hourly with deep sleep inbetween to give a good compromise between data points and battery life. Add a small solar panel for indefinite lifetime if you like (and measure solar radiation!). IPX7 enclosure.

Multiple units should all be hooked up via the network to a nice shiny web UI with a map and access to historic data and visualisations. Bonus points for hosting the database locally.

Then open source both the hardware and software so we can all do it ourselves on the cheap

Edit: Make one six feet long as well with moisture and temperature sensors located every foot. Set up a big grid of them in a grain store. Same principle applies as above.

 

[mustafauysal]

Wide area mesh (LoRaWAN?) network of soil moisture/temperature sensors, each should have a probe with several sensors located at different depths so you can measure the full profile of the soil down to a foot deep. Update hourly with deep sleep inbetween to give a good compromise between data points and battery life. Add a small solar panel for indefinite lifetime if you like (and measure solar radiation!). IPX7 enclosure.

Multiple units should all be hooked up via the network to a nice shiny web UI with a map and access to historic data and visualisations. Bonus points for hosting the database locally.

Then open source both the hardware and software so we can all do it ourselves on the cheap

Edit: Make one six feet long as well with moisture and temperature sensors located every foot. Set up a big grid of them in a grain store. Same principle applies as above.

Thanks for answer.
I've been thinking use this sensor to measure soil moisture:
https://opencircuit.shop/Product/13479/Soil-Moisture-Sensor
But i think it's not a good choice, if i measure different depths. What kind of soil moisture sensor should i use?

 

[cquick]

I'm guessing you're an electrical engineer if you're working with microcontrollers?

I would use a capacitive sensor, you could design one neatly into a probe, e.g. a probe made of nylon or POM with metal sense rings. Some designs I have seen use a 555 in astable mode, using the soil as part of the charge capacitor, then low-pass filter the output to an ADC pin on the uC, or just read off the pulse width directly.

 

[Scribus]

Hi,
i am an engineering student. I have to do a project with a microntroller (STM32F4). I want to do a project about agriculture. But my knowledge about agriculture is very limited. I thought it would be good to listen experts. I'm currently working on measurements of temperature, humidity, soil moisture and soil temperature. But i didn't think what to do after measure these values. I can send data to aweb maybe. I mean, i think i need a more useful project idea.
I look forward to read your suggestions/ideas.
Best regards.

The creation of data is one thing, applying it to either strategic or tactical farm management is another. There are 1,001 various systems that churn out tonnes of data that could be useful if there was a mechanism for applying it to the farm situation in a simple and cost effective way.

I'm sure we all genuinely appreciate your good intent and especially your interest in agriculture but I do wonder whether this is yet another example of a solution looking for a problem, an age old complaint I know. Maybe if you were to ask the question as to what farmers and growers see as a problem that digital technology may be able to help overcome then something more fruitful may emerge.

To my mind the ability to take immediate measurements of soil pH and nutrient levels (nitrogen, phosphate and potash) rather than wait for the lab analysis would be a huge step forward.

 

[thesilentone]

The creation of data is one thing, applying it to either strategic or tactical farm management is another. There are 1,001 various systems that churn out tonnes of data that could be useful if there was a mechanism for applying it to the farm situation in a simple and cost effective way.

I'm sure we all genuinely appreciate your good intent and especially your interest in agriculture but I do wonder whether this is yet another example of a solution looking for a problem, an age old complaint I know. Maybe if you were to ask the question as to what farmers and growers see as a problem that digital technology may be able to help overcome then something more fruitful may emerge.

To my mind the ability to take immediate measurements of soil pH and nutrient levels (nitrogen, phosphate and potash) rather than wait for the lab analysis would be a huge step forward.

The technology you describe already exists and has done for some years. Used mainly in the Golf Industry, this controls the mixture used in the sprinkler system so optimum PH is maintained and we see nice green, greens on the TV.

 

[Bloders]

from a selfish point of view, the topic that comes to mind from micro controllers (maybe incorrectly) is the controlling of biomass boilers (log boilers) its one id like to do but ....

 

[Scribus]

The technology you describe already exists and has done for some years. Used mainly in the Golf Industry, this controls the mixture used in the sprinkler system so optimum PH is maintained and we see nice green, greens on the TV.

Indeed, thinking back I saw a system at the last Agritechnica which measured pH.