INTEL-IRRIS NEWSLETTER #2
This is NEWSLETTER #2!
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Content of NEWSLETTER #2 – November 2022
- The INTEL-IRRIS Smallholder Piloting Program
- How can we improve the accuracy of low-cost soil humidity sensors for better irrigation indication?
- Presentation of the extensive tests on the INTEL-IRRIS starter-kit for sensor calibration
- Presenting the INTEL-IRRIS Irrigation WaziApp – IIWA
- WaziGate v2 is ready! Discover the new features!
- What are the next Newsletters?
- How to subscribe to Newsletters, ask questions and provide feedback to Newsletters?
THE INTEL-IRRIS SMALLHOLDER PILOTING PROGRAM
The Smallholder Piloting Program (SPP) will run a cooperative piloting & test program by deploying a number of starter-kits in piloting sites, both in Algeria and Morocco.
The entire INTEL-IRRIS team has actively prepare the SPP launching since September 2022 by increasing the production of starter-kits. See the related post: https://intel-irris.eu/preparation-of-smallholder-piloting-program
2 events targeting the smallholder community and preparing the SPP have been organized:
- Smart Farming II on Nov. 13-14, 2022. University of Oran 1, Oran, Algeria.
Researchers, stakeholders & farmers are taking the opportunity to discuss on digitalisation of agriculture which is a top priority for Algeria.
INTEL-IRRIS Smallholder Event on June 9th, 2022. Organized by INRA CRRA SETTAT at the experimental domain of Sidi Aidi, Morocco.
Great event targeting smallholders to present smarter irrigation techniques and the INTEL-IRRIS starter-kit to smallholders, stakeholders and startups! Dr Abdellah El Assaoui explained the principles of smarter agriculture in a very pedagogic and convincing way!
The SPP has started the piloting deployment phase in several farms.
HOW CAN WE IMPROVE THE ACCURACY OF LOW-COST SOIL HUMIDITY SENSORS FOR BETTER IRRIGATION INDICATION?
There is no secret, a lower cost soil moisture sensor will have lower accuracy than a high-end sensor! However, we can greatly improve the accuracy of these lower cost soil moisture sensors by conducting extensive tests of a specific low-cost sensor to determine parameters that can impact on the sensor accuracy and stability and by advanced calibration procedures taking into account soil characteristics.
INTEL-IRRIS starter-kit will provide 2 versions of the low-cost sensor platform: 1 version with a capacitive soil moisture sensor (SEN0308) and 1 version with the Watermark WM200 water tension sensor. Both soil moisture sensors will be tested and advanced calibration procedures will determine corrective measures to increase sensor’s accuracy and stability.
The low-cost soil moisture sensor hardware platform developed by UPPA in 2 versions: capacitive sensor (left) and Watermark water tension sensor (right). See all the tutorials to build your own low-cost sensor platform.
The Watermark version can have an additional soil temperature sensor attached.
PRESENTATION OF THE EXTENSIVE TESTS ON THE INTEL-IRRIS STARTER-KIT FOR SENSOR CALIBRATION
IRD is conducting extensive test campaigns on the 2 versions of the soil sensor device. Below, the capacitive sensor in several soil/substrate textures and tests to investigate how stable these low-cost sensors are under various environmental conditions. Want to know more? Look at the presentation by Dr. Christian Hartmann.
PRESENTING THE INTEL-IRRIS Irrigation WaziApp – IIWA
The sensing platform and the data gateway will be completed by the INTEL-IRRIS Irrigation WaziApp (IIWA) that will run on the gateway itself. The purpose of IIWA is to provide advanced configuration features by integrating the calibration models and the agricultural knowledge for better irrigation indication. Developed in Python with Flask framework by WAZIUP e.V. and UPPA, it can be easily updated and improved by the tech-enthusiast communities!
The responsive embedded web interface accessible from a smartphone will guide end-users through a the Dashboard, the Device Manager and the Sensor Configuration screens to realize the various advanced configuration steps. The final User Interface will be validated and improved within the Smallholder Piloting Program. Algerian and Moroccan partners will also provide an Arab version of the application.
Below is an example showing, from left to right, how the same raw sensor indication (here 415) lead to different soil moisture interpretations (from “dry-wet” to “very dry”) when the soil type is updated from “undefined” to “clay”. The correct soil moisture interpretation being “very dry” as the sensor has been deployed in clay soil during the heat waves of July & August 2022.
Want to know more? Look at the dedicated tutorial presentation made by UPPA: Tutorial slides on building the INTEL-IRRIS IoT platform. Part 4: the INTEL-IRRIS Irrigation WaziApp.
WAZIGATE v2 IS READY! DISCOVER THE NEW FEATURES!
WAZIUP e.V. is continuously improving the WaziGate software framework for increase robustness and more features towards so-called Edge-Computing. The new WaziGate v2 has the following system improvements:
- Memory performance improvement: 10 time less SD card writes
- CPU Performance improvement
- New app management feature
- Better Wifi support
- Display of sensor historical values
- Transition to 64 bits architecture
- Continuous Integration toolchain
In addition, date and time can now be manually set from the admin web interface and the local database can be easily dumped, saved and restored by advanced users.
WHAT ARE THE NEXT NEWSLETTERS?
We will release Newsletters every 4 months. The next Newsletters will highlight:
- The open challenge & competition for entrepreneurs, startups and young tech enthusiats!
- Highlights on the feedbacks collected from the Smallholder Piloting Program
- How disruptive AI technologies will be integrated into the INTEL-IRRIS framework
- The Farmer Training Program to raise awareness on new agricultural practices and technology-based approaches to optimize the irrigation process
- … and much more!
HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTERS, ASK QUESTIONS AND PROVIDE FEEDBACKS TO NEWSLETTERS?
You can subscribe to the INTEL-IRRIS Newsletter using our mailchimp form.
You can ask questions and provide feedbacks for each Newsletter by using the Reply feature on our Post section. The Post associated to this NEWSLETTER#2 is: https://intel-irris.eu/this-is-intel-irris-newsletter-2