The overall aim of the project is to design a low-cost smart agricultural sensing system for small-scale farms in South Asia, where this system will assist with rice crop cultivation. The project will work towards building a sensor system that can analyse properties of the soil, such as nitrogen levels, for rice crops and send these data via a radio frequency transceiver to a central processing hub. The data will be processed and displayed on a graphical user interface (GUI) using data analysis techniques and this will be presented on an in-built display in the central hub. Machine learning models will be used to find patterns in the data and predict future soil health, which will also be displayed on the GUI. This system aims to provide the farmer with clear information on soil health and aids the decision-making process on crop irrigation and fertiliser utilisation. This provides productivity benefits for the farmer, increases their incomes and has environmental benefits such as reducing the use of excess fertiliser and water. The sensing system will be designed for farmers in South Asia, where India is to be used as the region to gather more detailed information on the state of infrastructure and economic climate.
The project aims to provide a proof of concept for the design of a smart agricultural sensing system, with a stretch target of a full-functioning prototype, as there are time, budget and location constraints. Other deliverables include a project brief document, a marketing video, a design portfolio, planning portfolio and presentation of the final design. Our team of six members, consisting of three electrical and electronic engineers, two systems engineers and one mechanical engineer, will contribute to the project for 15 hours per week over the course of 20 weeks. Our initial consumables budget comprises of purchasing nitrogen, temperature and humidity sensors (£100), Raspberry Pi/Arduino microcontrollers (£50), RF equipment (£50), batteries, charging equipment (£30) and the display for the central hub (£20). The total of £250 is comfortably below the £300 limit, leaving funds for other components. Software packages such as Python, Arduino IDE, Spice Circuit Simulator, Eagle PCB Design, MATLAB and Fusion 360 are available through open source or university licenses. Generic electronics equipment and tools such as circuit components, wires, soldering irons and 3D printing can be borrowed from the university.
This project aims to help local farmers make better-educated decisions when trying to improve the efficiency of their rice crops. Therefore, our interactions with one another and our users are guided by the operating principles of III, which translate our values and beliefs into practical actions.