We present a new vision for smart objects and the Internet of Things wherein mobile robots interact with wirelessly-powered, long-range, ultra-high frequency radio frequency identification (UHF RFID) tags outfitted with sensing capabilities. We explore the technology innovations driving this vision by examining recently-commercialized sensor tags that could be affixed-to or embedded-in objects or the environment to yield true embodied intelligence. Using a pair of autonomous mobile robots outfitted with UHF RFID readers, we explore several potential applications where mobile robots interact with sensor tags to perform tasks such as: soil moisture sensing, remote crop monitoring, infrastructure monitoring, water quality monitoring, and remote sensor deployment.
In the context of agricultural sensing, remote crop monitoring (usually via camera imaging) has already proved useful @cite_19 , and it's even feasible to have UAVs obtain direct measurements for applications such as water quality monitoring @cite_16 . Inexpensive sensorized UHF RFID tags have the potential to augment or supplement existing remote-sensing systems to provide precise, direct measurements (eg. for calibration), and could even be used by existing farm equipment to opportunistically obtain relevant agricultural data. Direct sensing can make agricultural systems safer, more efficient, more accurate, and more productive @cite_17 @cite_21 . However, agricultural applications frequently involve large, expansive areas where wiring for communication and power is undesirable or impracticable. Wireless sensor networks have been used collect agriculture data by distributing sensors throughout a field, and transmitting information back to a base station @cite_12 , sometimes using more-advanced mesh networking techniques @cite_9 . These sensor networks have been shown to provide actionable data that can improve growing conditions and irrigation schedules @cite_13 , but they still suffer from battery and cost constraints. UHF RFID sensor tags are a compelling approach to provide direct measurements that enhance other remote sensing techniques.
@cite_9 @cite_21 @cite_19 @cite_16 @cite_13 @cite_12 @cite_17
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This paper presents an overview on recent development of wireless sensor technologies and standards for wireless communications as applied to wireless sensors. Examples of wireless sensors and sensor networks applied in agriculture and food production for environmental monitoring, precision agriculture, M2M-based machine and process control, building and facility automation and RFID-based traceability systems are given. The paper also discusses advantages of wireless sensors and obstacles that prevent their fast adoption. Finally, based on an analysis of market growth, the paper discusses future trend of wireless sensor technology development in agriculture and food industry. Efficient water management is a major concern in many cropping systems in semiarid and arid areas. Distributed in-field sensor-based irrigation systemsoffer a potential solution to support site-specific irrigation management that allows producers to maximize their productivity while saving water. This paper describes details of the design and instrumentation of variable rate irrigation, a wireless sensor network, and software for real-time in-field sensing and control of a site-specific precision linear-move irrigation system. Field conditions were site-specifically monitored by six in-field sensor stations distributed across the field based on a soil property map, and periodically sampled and wirelessly transmitted to a base station. An irrigation machine was converted to be electronically controlled by a programming logic controller that updates georeferenced location of sprinklers from a differential Global Positioning System (GPS) and wirelessly communicates with a computer at the base station. Communication signals from the sensor network and irrigation controller to the base station were successfully interfaced using low-cost Bluetooth wireless radio communication. Graphic user interface-based software developed in this paper offered stable remote access to field conditions and real-time control and monitoring of the variable-rate irrigation controller. Remote sensing by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) is changing the way agriculture operates by increasing the spatial-temporal resolution of data collection. Micro-UAVs have the potential to further improve and enrich the data collected by operating close to the crops, enabling the collection of higher spatio-temporal resolution data. In this paper, we present a UAV-mounted measurement system that utilizes a laser scanner to compute crop heights, a critical indicator of crop health. The system filters, transforms, and analyzes the cluttered range data in real-time to determine the distance to the ground and to the top of the crops. We assess the system in an indoor testbed and in a corn field. Our findings indicate that despite the dense canopy and highly variable sensor readings, we can precisely fly over crops and measure its height to within 5cm of measurements gathered using current measurement technology. The aim of the present paper is to review the technical and scientific state of the art of wireless sensor technologies and standards for wireless communications in the Agri-Food sector. These technologies are very promising in several fields such as environmental monitoring, precision agriculture, cold chain control or traceability. The paper focuses on WSN (Wireless Sensor Networks) and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), presenting the different systems available, recent developments and examples of applications, including ZigBee based WSN and passive, semi-passive and active RFID. Future trends of wireless communications in agriculture and food industry are also discussed.