Wearable Plant Sensor Patch for Early Disease Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current sensor technologies are inadequate for real-time, non-invasive monitoring of plant health, as they lack sensitivity and specificity in detecting biotic and abiotic stresses, and fail to simultaneously measure biochemical and biophysical signals, which hinders early disease detection and optimal pesticide application.
Innovation Solution
A multifunctional wearable sensor patch with both biochemical and biophysical sensors, including VOC sensors and temperature/humidity sensors, is developed, featuring silver nanowires and carbon nanotubes, which can be attached to a plant's leaf surface to continuously monitor various environmental and physiological parameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If imaging or spectroscopic sensors are used for real-time monitoring, then noninvasive monitoring capability is achieved, but sensitivity and selectivity are poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensor types (imaging sensors, spectroscopic sensors, and electrochemical sensors) into an integrated wearable sensor system. This merging allows the system to simultaneously capture optical signatures and detect specific biochemical markers, thereby maintaining noninvasive monitoring capability while significantly improving sensitivity and selectivity for disease detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The wearable sensor system is designed with multi-functionality, capable of performing imaging, spectroscopy, and electrochemical detection simultaneously. This universal approach enables the single sensor system to address multiple detection needs (structural changes, chemical composition, and specific pathogen markers), resolving the contradiction between noninvasive capability and measurement precision.
2Duration of action of moving object
If remote sensing is used for continuous monitoring, then continuous data collection is achieved, but spatial resolution and disease specificity are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system segments the monitoring function into multiple specialized sensors working together: imaging sensors for spatial information, spectroscopic sensors for chemical composition, and electrochemical sensors for specific pathogen detection. This segmentation allows continuous monitoring while maintaining spatial resolution and disease specificity through the coordinated output of individual sensor components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces electrochemical sensors as intermediaries that specifically detect biochemical markers associated with particular diseases. These intermediary sensors bridge the gap between continuous monitoring and disease-specific detection by translating general physiological changes into specific disease diagnoses through marker detection.
3Measurement precision
If electrophysiological sensors are used, then water stress monitoring is achieved, but capability to track other diseases and stresses is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The wearable sensor system incorporates multiple sensor modalities (imaging, spectroscopy, electrochemical sensing) that can detect various types of plant stresses including water stress, nutrient deficiencies, and pathogen infections. This multi-functional design maintains the water stress detection accuracy of electrophysiological sensors while expanding versatility to cover a broad range of diseases and environmental stresses.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges electrophysiological sensors with imaging sensors and spectroscopic sensors, allowing simultaneous detection of water stress (through electrophysiological measurements) and other diseases/stresses (through optical and chemical signatures). This combination resolves the limitation of single-function sensors while maintaining the precision of each individual sensor type.
4Loss of information
If multiple separate sensors are used to monitor different parameters, then comprehensive data collection is achieved, but device complexity and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple sensor types into a single integrated wearable sensor device that simultaneously collects imaging data, spectroscopic data, and electrochemical measurements. This consolidation achieves comprehensive plant health data collection while reducing device complexity by integrating sensors, processing units, and power management into a unified wearable system rather than requiring multiple separate sensor devices.
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
The sensor patch enables early detection of plant diseases and stresses by simultaneously tracking VOC markers, temperature, humidity, and other microclimate parameters with high sensitivity and specificity, reducing pesticide usage and improving plant growth and yield.
Implementation Method 1
The at least on biochemical sensor comprises a volatile organic compound (VOC) sensor
Implementation Method 2
spray coating the AgNWs in a PMDS solution on a polyamide (PI) substrate using a stencil mask for patterning interdigitated electrodes and interconnect
Implementation Method 3
obtaining a sol-gel and forming a sol-gel film over the hybrid network
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides wearable plant sensors for continuous monitoring of plant physiology by tracking both biochemical and biophysical signals of the plant and its microenvironment. Sensors for detecting volatile organic compounds (VOC), temperature, and humidity are integrated into a single platform. The abaxial leaf attachment position is selected based on the stomata density to improve the sensor signal strength. This versatile platform enables various stress monitoring applications, ranging from tracking plant water loss to early detection of plant pathogens. A machine learning model was also developed to analyze multichannel sensor data for quantitative detection of tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) as early as four days after inoculation.