From Neolithic tools
that helped humans transition from hunter gatherers to farmers to the British
Agricultural Revolution, which harnessed the power of the Industrial Revolution
to increase yields (Noll 2015), technological innovation has always driven food
production.
Today, agriculture is highly technical, as scientific
discoveries continue to be integrated into production systems.
Intelligent Sensing Agriculture is one of the newest
additions to a long history of integrating cutting-edge technology to the
production, processing, and distribution of food.
These technological gadgets are generally used to achieve
the dual aim of boosting crop yields while lowering agricultural system
environmental effects.
Intelligent sensors are devices that, as part of their
stated duty, may execute a variety of complicated operations.
These sensors should not be confused with "smart"
sensors or instrument packages that can collect data from the physical
environment (Cleaveland 2006).
Intelligent sensors are unique in that they not only detect
but also react to varied circumstances in nuanced ways depending on the
information they collect.
"In general, sensors are devices that measure a
physical quantity and turn the result into a signal that can be read by an
observer or instrument; however, intelligent sensors may analyze measured
data" (Bialas 2010, 822).
Their capacity to govern their own processes in response to
environmental stimuli is what distinguishes them as "intelligent." They
collect fundamental elements from various factors (such as light, temperature,
and humidity) and then develop intermediate responses to these aspects
(Yamasaki 1996).
The capacity to do sophisticated learning, information
processing, and adaptation all in one integrated package is required for this
feature.
These sensor packages are employed in a broad variety of
applications, from aerospace to health care, and their scope is growing.
While all of these applications are novel, the use of
intelligent sensors in agriculture might have a broad variety of social
advantages owing to the technology.
There is a pressing need to boost the productivity of
existing productive agricultural fields.
In 2017, the world's population approached 7.6 billion
people, according to the United Nations (2017).
The majority of the world's arable land, on the other hand,
is already being used for food.
Currently, over half of the land in the United States is
used to generate agricultural goods, whereas 40% of the land in the United
Kingdom is utilized to create agricultural products (Thompson 2010).
Due to a scarcity of undeveloped land, agricultural
production must skyrocket within the next 10 years, yet environmental effects
must be avoided in order to boost overall sustainability and long-term
productivity.
Intelligent sensors aid in maximizing the use of all
available resources, lowering agricultural expenses, and limiting the use of
hazardous inputs (Pajares 2011).
"When nutrients in the soil, humidity, solar radiation,
weed density, and a wide range of other factors and data affecting production
are known," Pajares says, "the situation improves, and the use of
chemical products such as fertilizers, herbicides, and other pollutants can be
significantly reduced" (Pajares 2011, 8930).
The majority of intelligent sensor applications in this
context may be classified as "precise agriculture," which is
described as "information-intensive crop management that use technology to
watch, react, and quantify crucial factors." When combined with computer
networks, this data enables for field administration from afar.
Combinations of several kinds of sensors (such as
temperature and image-based devices) enable for monitoring and control
regardless of distance.
Intelligent sensors gather in-field data to aid agricultural
production management in a variety of ways.
The following are some examples of specialized applications:
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) with a suite of sensors detect fires (Pajares
2011); LIDAR sensors paired with GPS identify trees and estimate forest
biomass; and capacitance probes measure soil moisture while reflectometers
determine crop moisture content.
Other sensor types may identify weeds, evaluate soil pH,
quantify carbon metabolism in peatlands, regulate irrigation systems, monitor
temperatures, and even operate machinery like sprayers and tractors.
When equipped with sophisticated sensors, robotic devices
might be utilized to undertake many of the tasks presently performed by farmers.
Modern farming is being revolutionized by intelligent
sensors, and as technology progresses, chores will become more automated.
Agricultural technology, on the other hand, have a long
history of public criticism.
One criticism of the use of intelligent sensors in
agriculture is that it might have negative societal consequences.
While these devices improve agricultural systems' efficiency
and decrease environmental problems, they may have a detrimental influence on
rural populations.
Technological advancements have revolutionized the way
farmers manage their crops and livestock since the invention of the first plow.
Intelligent sensors may allow tractors, harvesters, and
other equipment to operate without the need for human involvement, potentially
altering the way food is produced.
This might lower the number of people required in the
agricultural industry, and consequently the number of jobs available in rural
regions, where agricultural production is mostly conducted.
Furthermore, this technology may be too costly for farmers,
increasing the likelihood of small farms failing.
The so-called "technology treadmill" is often
blamed for such failures.
This term describes a situation in which a small number of
farmers adopt a new technology and profit because their production costs are
lower than their competitors'.
Increased earnings are no longer possible when more
producers embrace this technology and prices decline.
It becomes important to use this new technology in order to
compete in a market where others are doing so.
Farmers who do not implement the technology are eventually
forced out of business, while those who do thrive.
The use of clever sensors may help to keep the technological
treadmill going.
Regard less, the sensors have a broad variety of social, economic, and ethical effects that will need to be examined, as the technology advances.
You may also want to read more about Artificial Intelligence here.
See also:
Workplace Automation.
Further Reading:
Bialas, Andrzej. 2010. “Intelligent Sensors Security.” Sensors 10, no. 1: 822–59.
Cleaveland, Peter. 2006. “What Is a Smart Sensor?” Control Engineering, January 1, 2006. https://www.controleng.com/articles/what-is-a-smart-sensor/.
Noll, Samantha. 2015. “Agricultural Science.” In A Companion to the History of American Science, edited by Mark Largent and Georgina Montgomery. New York: Wiley-Blackwell.
Pajares, Gonzalo. 2011. “Advances in Sensors Applied to Agriculture and Forestry.” Sensors 11, no. 9: 8930–32.
Thompson, Paul B. 2009. “Philosophy of Agricultural Technology.” In Philosophy of Technology and Engineering Sciences, edited by Anthonie Meijers, 1257–73. Handbook of the Philosophy of Science. Amsterdam: North-Holland.
Thompson, Paul B. 2010. The Agrarian Vision: Sustainability and Environmental Ethics. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky.
United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs. 2017. World Population Prospects: The 2017 Revision. New York: United Nations.
Yamasaki, Hiro. 1996. “What Are the Intelligent Sensors.” In Handbook of Sensors and Actuators, vol. 3, edited by Hiro Yamasaki, 1–17. Amsterdam: Elsevier Science B.V.
