Developing Ubiquitous Sensor Network Platform Using Internet of Things: Application in Precision Agriculture

Abstract

The application of Information Technologies into Precision Agriculture methods has clear benefits. Precision Agriculture optimises production efficiency, increases quality, minimises environmental impact and reduces the use of resources (energy, water); however, there are different barriers that have delayed its wide development. Some of these main barriers are expensive equipment, the difficulty to operate and maintain and the standard for sensor networks are still under development. Nowadays, new technological development in embedded devices (hardware and communication protocols), the evolution of Internet technologies (Internet of Things) and ubiquitous computing (Ubiquitous Sensor Networks) allow developing less expensive systems, easier to control, install and maintain, using standard protocols with low-power consumption. This work develops and test a low-cost sensor/actuator network platform, based in Internet of Things, integrating machine-to-machine and human-machine-interface protocols. Edge computing uses this multi-protocol approach to develop control processes on Precision Agriculture scenarios. A greenhouse with hydroponic crop production was developed and tested using Ubiquitous Sensor Network monitoring and edge control on Internet of Things paradigm. The experimental results showed that the Internet technologies and Smart Object Communication Patterns can be combined to encourage development of Precision Agriculture. They demonstrated added benefits (cost, energy, smart developing, acceptance by agricultural specialists) when a project is launched.

Smart Sustainable Agriculture (SSA) Solution Underpinned by Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI)

“…The benefits and advantages of the agricultural use of IoT are as follows: (a) efficiency of input; (b) cost reduction; (c) profitability; (d) sustainability; (e) food safety and environmental protection [35]. However, Ferrández-Pastor, et al [36] considered SSA to contain a number of barriers potentially hindering its adoption: (a) initial expectations and advantages remaining unfulfilled; (b) complexity of technology and incompatibility of components; (c) a lack of products; and (d) the high cost involved in the establishment and maintenance of such facilities. To ensure the adoption and improvement of smart technologies in the agriculture sector, it is vital for farmers to be trained and given up-to-date knowledge of IoT/AI technologies.…”

The Impact of Greenhouse Environmental Conditions on the Signal Strength of Wi-Fi Based Sensor Network.

“…In addition, these promise more advanced and smart agricultural applications (Ferrandez-Pastor et al, 2016). This technology uses network sensors and thus offers an agricultural transformation by increasing the utility of information in the production chain (Rose et al, 2015).…”

Distributed Key Management to Secure IoT Wireless Sensor Networks in Smart-Agro

“…In [4], authors presented a new architecture based on four layers: things, edge, communication, and cloud. Figure 2 shows the architecture models and their evolution.…”