Development and assessment of an IoT system for monitoring air and soil quality in the agricultural sector

Abstract

Currently, there is a set of variables that directly and indirectly influence the level and quality of life of human beings. Climate change, pandemic situations and wars raise questions about their survival. Thus, the development of systems allowing efficient monitoring of the surrounding environment seems appropriate. In this sense, since the agricultural sector is a pillar of modern societies, the application of technologies such as IoT (Internet of Things), for its sustainable development is the motivation for this multidisciplinary work. The work carried out uses emerging technologies, wireless communication networks, alternative energy sources, control systems and friendly human-machine interfaces. Communication between the devices uses LoRa (Long Range) technology due to its low consumption. Depending on the location to be monitored, alternative sources of energy, solar and hydropower, are selected individually, using an algorithm that monitors the power available at each instant. Data acquired such as temperature and humidity by several network nodes (peripheral towers), communicate to a gateway (main tower). These data are stored, treated statistically, and presented in a user-friendly application for different users. The system was installed in an urban vegetable garden in the Vila Nova de Famalicão municipality. After its operational validation, the temperatures and humidity values were registered. In conclusion, the developed system is low cost, autonomous, modular, flexible, has a low energy consumption and uses alternative energies, allowing the optimization of techniques and types of cultivation.