Low-Cost Soil Moisture Profile Probe Using Thin-Film Capacitors and a Capacitive Touch Sensor
Soil moisture is an important property for agriculture, but currently commercialized soil moisture sensors are too expensive for many farmers. The objective of this study is to develop a low-cost soil moisture sensor using capacitors on a film substrate and a capacitive touch integrated circuit. The...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2016-08-01
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| Series: | Sensors |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/16/8/1292 |
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| author | Yuki Kojima Ryo Shigeta Naoya Miyamoto Yasutomo Shirahama Kazuhiro Nishioka Masaru Mizoguchi Yoshihiro Kawahara |
| author_facet | Yuki Kojima Ryo Shigeta Naoya Miyamoto Yasutomo Shirahama Kazuhiro Nishioka Masaru Mizoguchi Yoshihiro Kawahara |
| author_sort | Yuki Kojima |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Soil moisture is an important property for agriculture, but currently commercialized soil moisture sensors are too expensive for many farmers. The objective of this study is to develop a low-cost soil moisture sensor using capacitors on a film substrate and a capacitive touch integrated circuit. The performance of the sensor was evaluated in two field experiments: a grape field and a mizuna greenhouse field. The developed sensor captured dynamic changes in soil moisture at 10, 20, and 30 cm depth, with a period of 10–14 days required after sensor installation for the contact between capacitors and soil to settle down. The measured soil moisture showed the influence of individual sensor differences, and the influence masked minor differences of less than 0.05 m3·m−3 in the soil moisture at different locations. However, the developed sensor could detect large differences of more than 0.05 m3·m−3, as well as the different magnitude of changes, in soil moisture. The price of the developed sensor was reduced to 300 U.S. dollars and can be reduced even more by further improvements suggested in this study and by mass production. Therefore, the developed sensor will be made more affordable to farmers as it requires low financial investment, and it can be utilized for decision-making in irrigation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T13:12:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-199c1ae2f0b348ffa73bbb154ad8fe75 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T13:12:16Z |
| publishDate | 2016-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-199c1ae2f0b348ffa73bbb154ad8fe752022-12-22T04:22:29ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202016-08-01168129210.3390/s16081292s16081292Low-Cost Soil Moisture Profile Probe Using Thin-Film Capacitors and a Capacitive Touch SensorYuki Kojima0Ryo Shigeta1Naoya Miyamoto2Yasutomo Shirahama3Kazuhiro Nishioka4Masaru Mizoguchi5Yoshihiro Kawahara6Faculty of Engineering, Gifu University, Gifu 501-1193, JapanGraduate School of Information Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8656, JapanGraduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8657, JapanGraduate School of Information Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8656, JapanGraduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8657, JapanGraduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8657, JapanGraduate School of Information Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8656, JapanSoil moisture is an important property for agriculture, but currently commercialized soil moisture sensors are too expensive for many farmers. The objective of this study is to develop a low-cost soil moisture sensor using capacitors on a film substrate and a capacitive touch integrated circuit. The performance of the sensor was evaluated in two field experiments: a grape field and a mizuna greenhouse field. The developed sensor captured dynamic changes in soil moisture at 10, 20, and 30 cm depth, with a period of 10–14 days required after sensor installation for the contact between capacitors and soil to settle down. The measured soil moisture showed the influence of individual sensor differences, and the influence masked minor differences of less than 0.05 m3·m−3 in the soil moisture at different locations. However, the developed sensor could detect large differences of more than 0.05 m3·m−3, as well as the different magnitude of changes, in soil moisture. The price of the developed sensor was reduced to 300 U.S. dollars and can be reduced even more by further improvements suggested in this study and by mass production. Therefore, the developed sensor will be made more affordable to farmers as it requires low financial investment, and it can be utilized for decision-making in irrigation.http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/16/8/1292soil moisturesoil moisture profile probeprinting circuitcapacitive touch sensor |
| spellingShingle | Yuki Kojima Ryo Shigeta Naoya Miyamoto Yasutomo Shirahama Kazuhiro Nishioka Masaru Mizoguchi Yoshihiro Kawahara Low-Cost Soil Moisture Profile Probe Using Thin-Film Capacitors and a Capacitive Touch Sensor Sensors soil moisture soil moisture profile probe printing circuit capacitive touch sensor |
| title | Low-Cost Soil Moisture Profile Probe Using Thin-Film Capacitors and a Capacitive Touch Sensor |
| title_full | Low-Cost Soil Moisture Profile Probe Using Thin-Film Capacitors and a Capacitive Touch Sensor |
| title_fullStr | Low-Cost Soil Moisture Profile Probe Using Thin-Film Capacitors and a Capacitive Touch Sensor |
| title_full_unstemmed | Low-Cost Soil Moisture Profile Probe Using Thin-Film Capacitors and a Capacitive Touch Sensor |
| title_short | Low-Cost Soil Moisture Profile Probe Using Thin-Film Capacitors and a Capacitive Touch Sensor |
| title_sort | low cost soil moisture profile probe using thin film capacitors and a capacitive touch sensor |
| topic | soil moisture soil moisture profile probe printing circuit capacitive touch sensor |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/16/8/1292 |
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