Development of Digital Water Sensor by High Frequency Power Supply Typed for Real-Time Measurement and Control of Agrochemical Spraying

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K19160
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 41:Agricultural economics and rural sociology, agricultural engineering, and related fields
• Research Institution: Kyoto University (2022); University of Tsukuba (2021)
• Principal Investigator: Noguchi Ryozo 京都大学, 農学研究科, 教授 (60261773)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 臼井 善彦 国立研究開発法人農業・食品産業技術総合研究機構, 農業機械研究部門, 連携調整・専門役等 (40442777) ; Ahamed Tofael 筑波大学, 生命環境系, 准教授 (40593265)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-07-09 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 感水センサー / 導電糸 / RFID / 高周波 / 農薬散布

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Using radio-frequency automatic identification (RFID) technology, it was shown in basic experiments that there was a clear decrease in radio wave strength in the supply of water to felt-wrapped tags and that the relationship between the amount of water increase and the decrease in radio wave strength was linear in nature. These results indicate the possibility of utilizing RFID tags as electronic water-sensitive sensors to monitor pesticide application conditions in the field in real time. In addition, using an autonomous agricultural machine for pesticide application (managed by Kyoto University) modified with a speed sprayer (SS), we verified the accuracy of measurement by an RFID reader against RFID tags attached to artificial fruit trees, and clarified the possibility of feedback control spraying by an automatic SS depending on the presence and degree of moisture content.

Free Research Field

農業情報工学、圃場センシング

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究で開発されたデジタル感水センサは、導電糸もしくはRFIDタグによって構成され、風雨・太陽光への耐性を有し、農業現場での利用と応用において、長期間のの耐候性、耐久性を有するセンサとなる可能性がある。また、HFES-DWS、散布アルゴリズムCAAは、圃場や農薬散布のばらつき管理、農業現場での農薬散布量削減に直結できるとともに、水や農薬を取り扱う農業分野、植物生産分野への農業DXへ向けたコア技術としての新規性と発展性を有している。