IoT4Ag: MEMS-Enabled Distributed Sensing, Communications, And Information Systems for The Internet Of Things For Precision Agriculture

We introduce the US NSF Engineering Research Center for the Internet of Things for Precision Agriculture (IoT4Ag). IoT4Ag aims to improve agricultural outcomes using highly distributed sensor technologies that monitor the soil and microclimate where plants are grown. MEMS will be a key technology enabler of this application, which requires sensing diverse measurands over large physical areas. We describe example optical and RF sensors that use large-area, low-cost fabrication technologies, are biocompatible or biodegradable, communicate from above or below the soil surface, require zero or near-zero power, and/or are powered from biodegradable batteries, wireless power, and energy harvesting.