EAGER SitS: A Multi-Sensor Probe Network for Continuous Monitoring of the Soil Health

了解土壤中的微生物群落对于管理管理和非管理田地植物的生长、健康和生产力是极其重要的。现有用于监测土壤的传感器不能以低成本、连续和空间密集的方式测量微生物的活动。该项目将通过启动三个学术机构(田纳西理工大学、布法罗纽约州立大学和田纳西诺克斯维尔大学)之间关于多传感器探头网络的合作探索性研究来解决这个问题，这些探头放置在多个地点的田野中，并由一种新的电磁技术无线供电。该项目将在实地的许多地方对土壤参数进行连续和不间断的监测，这些参数表明土壤微生物的活动及其随时间的变化。这项研究将产生新的知识和工程技术，提高农民对作物精准管理做出更好决策的能力，从而减少投入的数量和成本，并仅应用作物和土壤所需的东西来维持土壤健康。仅此一项影响就将减少浪费、提高作物产量、减少环境污染，并最终为国家及其农民带来更大的经济收入。该项目的目标是进行研究，以开发新一代现场、联网、多传感器测量系统，用于在广泛的户外范围和时间段内连续不间断地监测土壤变量。现代的低成本土壤监测系统是离散的，不能检测pH以外的土壤化学变量。第一个项目目标是由纽约州立大学布法罗分校(纽约州立大学布法罗分校)实施的，通过开发一种传感器系统来解决这个问题，该传感器系统分析由表征土壤健康的生物过程产生的挥发性有机化合物(VOC)。该传感器系统利用一组微电子机械系统(MEMS)悬臂梁作为极小和选择性的光谱换能器，用于检测中红外光学区域中的微量气体浓度。这些化学特性独特、极其灵敏、高度紧凑的传感器将与传统的土壤传感系统集成在一起，这些系统可以检测水分、温度、pH和电导率，以创建多传感探头。第二个项目目标由田纳西理工大学(TTU)实施，通过继续研究一种无线电力传输技术来为传感器探头的电子设备供电的问题，该技术能够在广泛的户外区域将能量从电源传输到多个多传感器探头。其目的是为传感器系统提供稳定、不间断的电源，以实现不需要维护或不受干扰的连续传感器操作。无线传输将通过在无线电频率上激励非辐射横磁(TM)传播模式来完成，该无线电频率允许土壤/空气界面充当波导。TTU的研究人员将探索一种新颖的概念，其中利用地上/地下双重激发方法来最大化波导效应。由田纳西诺克斯维尔大学(UTK)实施的第三个项目目标是分析来自无线供电的多传感器探测网络的数据，以便建立所需的预测算法，以表征土壤健康并做出关键的种植决策。总而言之，该项目的研究目标将在拓宽我们对土壤健康的理解方面产生变革性的作用；导致更好的环境实践和提高农业生产。除了土壤健康，无线电力传输研究将取得两个非常重要的科学和工程成果：(1)展示一种全新的大面积无线电力传输方法。这样的工程成就不仅将对土壤科学和农业产生革命性的影响，还将在可再生能源、电力分配、国家安全等其他领域产生重大影响。(2)通过实验证实在天然地球表面上存在Zeneck表面波，从而促进了我们对电磁(EM)传播物理的理解。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Understanding the micro-organism community within soil is extremely important for managing the growth, health, and productivity of plants in managed and unmanaged fields. Existing sensors used to monitor the soil are not capable of measuring the micro-organism activity in a low-cost, continuous, and spatially dense manner. This project will address this issue by initiating collaborative, exploratory research between three academic institutions (Tennessee Tech University, SUNY at Buffalo, and the University of Tennessee Knoxville) on a network of multi-sensor probes that are placed across fields in multiple locations and wirelessly powered by a novel electromagnetic technology. The project will provide for continuous and uninterrupted monitoring of soil parameters at many places in the field that indicate soil microbial activity and how it changes over time. This research will produce new knowledge and engineering techniques that will enhance farmers' abilities to make better decisions about precision management of crops that could reduce amounts and costs of inputs and apply only what is needed by crops and soil to maintain soil health. This impact alone will reduce waste, improve crop yield, reduce environmental contamination, and ultimately generate greater economic income for the Nation and its farmers. The objective of this project is to conduct research toward developing the next-generation of in situ, networked, multi-sensor measurement systems for continuously and uninterrupted monitoring of soil variables over wide outdoor expanses and time periods. Contemporary low-cost soil monitoring systems are discrete and are incapable of detecting soil chemical variables beyond pH. The first project goal, conducted by the State University of New York at Buffalo (SUNY at Buffalo), addresses this issue by developing a sensor system that analyzes the volatile organic compounds (VOC) produced by biological processes that characterize soil health. The sensor system utilizes an array of micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS) cantilevers as an extremely small and selective spectroscopic transducer for detecting trace gas concentrations in the mid-IR optical region. These chemically specific, extremely sensitive, and highly compact sensors will be integrated with conventional soil sensing systems that detect moisture, temperature, pH, and conductivity to create a multi-sensing probe. The second project goal, conducted by Tennessee Tech University (TTU), addresses the issue of powering the sensor probe's electronics by continuing research on a wireless power transmission technique capable of transferring energy from an electrical power source to a plurality of multi-sensing probes over wide outdoor areas. The aim is to provide the sensor systems with a stable, uninterruptable source of power to achieve a continuous sensor operation that does not require maintenance or is susceptible to interferences. The wireless transmission will be accomplished by the excitation of a non-radiating Transverse Magnetic (TM) propagation mode at radio frequencies that allow the soil/air interface to act as a waveguide. The TTU researchers will explore an original concept where a dual above/below ground excitation method is utilized in order to maximize the waveguide effect. The third project goal, conducted by the University of Tennessee Knoxville (UTK), is to analyze the data from the wirelessly powered, multi-sensor probe network in order to build predictive algorithms needed to characterize soil health and make critical growing decisions. Together, the research goals of this project will be transformative in broadening our understanding of soil health; leading to better environmental practices and enhanced agricultural production. Beyond soil health, the wireless power transmission research will achieve two very important scientific and engineering outcomes: (1) Demonstration of a completely new method of wireless electrical power transmission over a large area. Such an engineering achievement will not only have a transformative impact in soil science and agriculture, but in other fields including renewable energy, power distribution, national security, etc. (2) Advancement of our understanding of electromagnetic (EM) propagation physics by experimentally confirming the existence of the Zenneck Surface Wave over a natural earth surface.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.