Integrated Auger Sensors for Accurate Soil Health Assessment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for assessing soil health are inefficient and inaccurate, leading to potential issues with crop growth and yield due to inadequate nutrient levels, moisture content, compaction, and pH levels.
Innovation Solution
A system using an auger with integrated sensors to measure soil characteristics such as nutrient levels, moisture, temperature, compaction, and pH, combined with a machine-learning model to calculate soil health and generate gradient maps for cultivation planning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional soil testing methods are used, then the assessment process is simple, but the accuracy and efficiency of soil health assessment is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensors (moisture sensor, nutrient sensor, pH sensor, temperature sensor, compaction sensor) into a single integrated soil health assessment system. This merging of multiple measurement functions into one device achieves comprehensive soil health evaluation while maintaining operational simplicity, resolving the contradiction between assessment accuracy and system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The assessment system is designed to perform multiple soil measurement functions simultaneously - measuring moisture content, nutrient levels, pH, temperature, and compaction. This multi-functional approach enables comprehensive soil health assessment with a single device, improving measurement precision without requiring multiple separate testing apparatus.
2Reliability
If comprehensive soil characteristics are measured, then cultivation recommendations are more accurate, but the time and resources required for assessment increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables continuous simultaneous measurement of multiple soil characteristics (moisture, nutrients, pH, temperature, compaction) through integrated sensors operating in parallel. This continuous multi-parameter assessment provides comprehensive data for reliable cultivation recommendations without requiring sequential testing, thereby reducing total assessment time while maintaining measurement reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary assessment of all critical soil health parameters simultaneously before making cultivation recommendations. By pre-measuring moisture, nutrients, pH, temperature, and compaction levels in a single integrated operation, the system prepares comprehensive baseline data that enables immediate and reliable cultivation planning without requiring multiple separate assessment steps.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Provides accurate and efficient soil health assessment, enabling better cultivation practices by recommending suitable plant species and improving crop yields while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Implementation Method 1
The multiple characteristics can include a nutrient level, a chemical composition, a moisture level, a temperature, a compaction level, and a potential of hydrogen (pH) level of the ground material
Implementation Method 2
The multiple characteristics can include a nutrient level, a chemical composition, a moisture level, a temperature, a compaction level, and a potential of hydrogen (pH) level of the ground material
Implementation Method 3
The twisted shape of the auger blade helps break up the ground material, allowing for easier measurement of the ground material
Data Source
AI summary
The system can comprise an auger including a shank and an auger blade. The auger can include at least one sensor configured to measure multiple characteristics of a ground material beneath the auger. The auger can include a sensor window located on the shank of the auger and a blade scoop located on the auger blade configured to direct the ground material onto the sensor window. The system can further comprise an auger controller configured to control the auger and enable calculation of a health level of the ground material, an accelerometer configured to measure a vibration generated by the auger, a gyroscope configured to determine a drilling angle of the auger, a motor configured to control a speed of the auger, a load sensor configured to measure a force applied to the auger, and a power manager configured to control an amount of energy consumed by the system.