CyberSEES: Type2: In-Situ, Wireless, Energy-Harvesting Soil Moisture/Nutrient Sensors for Managing Agricultural Resources & Environmental Impact

该项目将通过对农业投入进行精确的空间/时间控制，以优化资源利用和最大限度地减少对环境的影响，解决可持续农业的网络养分管理问题。迫切需要在生产农业中开发网络技术，使其能够自动收集实时空间土壤和作物数据，同时促进对化肥投入和氮(N)循环的更深入了解。该项目旨在开发：(1)现场、准确、自校准、自定位的土壤传感器，用于监测土壤水分和硝酸盐等土壤特性；(2)用于地下通信的小天线技术，使传感器不会干扰农业作业；(3)从振动源(如雷鸣和农业作业)获取宽带能量的有效技术；(4)在高时空分辨率下了解潜在氮循环的建模和分析方法，以及用于精确农业控制的信息管理和决策工具。管理氮循环是美国国家科学院确定的重大挑战之一。农田氮肥是水质损害的主要来源，也是造成缺氧的主要原因。该项目是朝着加深对农业氮素循环过程的理解迈出的一步，同时开发对氮肥投入的精确控制，这是可持续农业的关键。为了加强教育和劳动力发展努力，PIS将通过引入关于生物化学传感器的新课程材料，为可持续农业研究生辅修课程做出贡献。该资助研究的博士生将就读于可持续农业辅修课程，从而培养出在网络系统、农业生态系统、环境监测和可持续种植方面接受培训的新一代劳动力。为了获得更广泛的认识和接受，私人投资机构将与农业部门的行业和政府组织密切合作，其中几个组织已通过支持信表示有兴趣。

The project will address Cyber-Enabled Nutrient Management for Sustainable Agriculture through precise spatial/temporal control of agricultural inputs for optimized resource utilization and minimized environmental impact. There is a critical need for the development of cyber technologies in production agriculture that allow automated collection of real-time spatial soil and crop data while advancing a deeper understanding of the fertilizer inputs and nitrogen (N) cycling. This project aims to develop: (1) In-situ, accurate, self-calibrating, self-localizing soil sensors for monitoring soil properties such as soil moisture and nitrates, (2) Small antenna technologies for underground communication so the sensors do not interfere with agricultural operations, (3) Effective techniques for broadband energy-harvesting from vibrational sources (eg., thunder and farming operations); (4) Modeling and analysis methods for understanding the underlying nitrogen cycling at high spatial/temporal resolutions, and information management and decision-making tools for precise agricultural control.Managing the nitrogen Cycle is one of the grand challenges identified by the National Academies. Nitrogen fertilizers from farm fields are major source of water quality impairment and the leading contributor to hypoxia. The project is a step towards developing deeper understanding of agricultural N cycling process while developing precise controls over N fertilizer inputs that are key to sustainable agriculture. To enhance educational and workforce development efforts, the PIs will contribute to a graduate minor in Sustainable Agriculture by introducing new curriculum material on Bio-Chemical Sensors. PhD students of the funded research will enroll in the Sustainable Agriculture minor, thus developing a new generation of workforce trained in the aspects of cybersystems, agroecosystems, environmental monitoring, and sustainable cultivation. To achieve wider awareness and reception, PIs will work closely with industry and government organizations in the agricultural sector, several of whom have expressed interest through supporting letters.