Harvest Advisor Computing System for Field-Level Crop Moisture Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural growers face challenges in making strategic decisions due to difficulties in obtaining reliable and precise data for decision-making, particularly at a granular field level, which affects crop yield and profitability, as existing data is often generalized and not granular enough to inform precise strategies.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system, the Harvest Advisor, which processes field-specific and environmental data to provide recommendations for optimal crop harvesting times, utilizing a network of data sources and user devices to offer precise field condition monitoring and strategic advice.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If growers use generalized weather data for large regions, then data availability is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments weather data collection and analysis by individual fields rather than using generalized regional data. Each field's weather conditions are monitored separately, allowing precise measurement of temperature, precipitation, and other weather parameters at the field level, thus resolving the contradiction between data availability and measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds a spatial dimension to weather data collection by implementing field-level monitoring networks. Instead of using single regional weather stations, multiple sensors are distributed across different fields, creating a multi-dimensional data structure that provides both broad coverage and granular precision simultaneously.
2Reliability
If growers aggregate information from multiple sources, then decision-making quality is improved, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary aggregation and analysis of data from multiple sources (weather stations, soil sensors, market data) before the grower needs to make decisions. Data is continuously collected, cleaned, and integrated in the background, so when decision time arrives, the information is already prepared and synthesized, eliminating the time-consuming manual aggregation process while maintaining high decision-making quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements automated feedback loops that continuously monitor data quality and system performance. By automatically validating and cross-referencing data from multiple sources, the system ensures reliable decision-making information is provided without requiring manual verification, thus reducing time consumption while maintaining reliability.
3Measurement precision
If growers monitor crop conditions at granular level, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs universal, multi-functional sensors that can measure multiple parameters (temperature, humidity, soil moisture, crop health) using single devices. This reduces the number of separate monitoring devices needed while maintaining granular-level measurement precision across all crop conditions, thereby reducing device complexity without sacrificing measurement accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method for managing crop harvesting activities is implemented by a harvest advisor computing device in communication with a memory. The method includes receiving an initial date of a crop within a field, receiving an initial moisture value associated with the crop and the initial date, and receiving a target harvest moisture value associated with the crop. The method also includes receiving field condition data associated with the field. The method further includes computing, by the harvest advisor, a target harvest date for the crop based at least in part on the initial date, the initial moisture value, the field condition data, and the target harvest moisture value, and displaying the target harvest date for the crop to the grower for harvest planning. The target harvest date indicates a date at which the crop will have a present moisture value approximately equal to the target harvest moisture value.