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Wearable devices like smart watches are already part of our lives, and now they can help in agribusiness
The wearable sensor is a type of technological device that can be placed on the body and monitor some signals and behavior of the object that you want to monitor. This new technology was adapted by researchers of the National Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) in partnership with the Federal University of ABC Paulista (UFABC) and Harvard University in the United States. It serves to monitor sugarcane plantations, and allow the farmer greater visibility on the health of the plantation, preventing or treating in advance the appearance of pests. The creation of the device was announced in June and promises a valuable help to Brazilian farmers.
The wearable sensor is able to provide, in real time, information regarding the amount of water in the leaves as well as the quality of the plant. Thus, the farmer will even be able to predict how the harvest will be and take necessary measures in relation to possible problems that may arise during the development of the plants. Find out how this sensor works in the continuity of matter.
See how this wearable sensor works in real time with the video below
Wearable sensor method created by CNPEM is more effective than current measurement of sugarcane agribusiness
The amount of water in the plant and the existence of pests in sugarcane plantations are problems that agribusiness has been facing for a long time. To monitor and try to improve these issues, farmers have been using satellite and drone imagery. However, this method is not very accurate, precisely because it cannot measure the water levels in the plant.
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“Conventional methods have limitations, as they are based on imaging systems, satellites and drones. They need the plant attacked by a disease to show phenotypic signs or visual indications to generate monitoring alerts. In crops such as soybeans, for example, the change in color can signal an irreversible stage of diseases such as rust”.
Renato Sousa Lima, researcher at the National Nanotechnology Laboratory (LNNano), which is part of CNPEM (2022) in an interview with FAPESP Agency
The main concern of the researchers when developing a more precise monitoring object was to create a light device, resistant to weather and insects and at the same time not affecting the development of plants. With the support of the Universities of Harvard and UFABC, the CNPEM researchers were able to successfully achieve their goals.
Project supported by FAPESP overcomes the challenges of the conventional method of surveillance of sugarcane crops
The invention of the scientists from Campinas promises to overcome the main challenges of agribusiness in terms of monitoring crops. In other words, the lack of more effective and detailed analysis of pests and crop quality.
The apparatus created in Campinas adopts a type of electrode that is made from lithography and has a nickel coating in a thin film. This electrode receives an electric field from a capacitor and will then generate a polarization of the nutrient ions in the water in the plant. Thus, the signals are measured through changes in electrical resistance and impedance, pointing to the level of hydration of the plant.
In addition, the equipment created uses artificial intelligence to select the most appropriate monitoring frequency references for each plantation. The device also establishes temperatures between 20 and 30° C as a basis for quantifying the water present in the leaves. All data obtained are measured and transmitted by technology bluetooth to a smartphone.
Creation that helps agribusiness yielded a patent registration that makes the invention unique in the world
The device created by the team of researchers has several advantages such as increased sensitivity, extended battery life and resistance. Furthermore, it does not interfere with the plant's life cycle and accurately records the information it receives, which will help large farmers. This earned the team a patent, that is, the record of an unprecedented creation worldwide.
As the methodology for manufacturing these wearable sensors already exists and is well established, large-scale production of the new device will be relatively easy. However, the team is looking for new investments so that the commercial condition becomes more viable and accessible to small farmers as well. If you want to read more about creation, click here.
