A summary of "Trade-off between cost and accuracy in automated low-cost soil moisture sensors"

Código

XXV-SBRH0474

Autores

Dimaghi Schwamback, Magnus Persson, Ronny Berndtsson, Luis Eduardo Bertotto, Alex Naoki Asato Kobayashi, Edson Cezar Wendland

Tema

STE19 - MONITORAMENTO DE BAIXO CUSTO E TECNOLOGIAS EMERGENTES EM HIDROLOGIA

Resumo

Automated soil moisture systems are commonly used in precision agriculture. Using low-cost sensors, the spatial extension can be maximized, but the accuracy might be reduced. In this paper we address the trade-off between cost and accuracy comparing low-cost and commercial soil moisture sensors. The analysis is based on the capacitive sensor SKU:SEN0193 tested under lab and field conditions. In addition to individual calibration, two simplified calibration techniques are proposed: universal calibration, based on all 63 sensors, and a single point calibration using the sensors response in dry soil. During the second stage of testing, the sensors were coupled to a low-cost monitoring station and installed in the field. The sensors were capable of measuring daily and seasonal oscillations in soil moisture resulting from solar radiation and precipitation. The low-cost sensor performance was compared to commercial sensors based on five variables: (1) cost, (2) accuracy, (3) qualified labor demand, (4) sample volume, and (5) life expectancy. Commercial sensors provide single-point information with high reliability but at a high acquisition cost, while low-cost sensors can be acquired in larger numbers at a lower cost, allowing for more detailed spatial and temporal observations, but with medium accuracy. This paper is available at https://doi.org/10.3390/s23052451 and is aligned with the topics i (monitoring under different scales), ii (uncertainties sources) and iii (comparing technologies) suggested by the coordinators from special session STE19.