Stuttgart, Germany
September 9, 2015
- Bosch's goal: optimize growing conditions for asparagus
- Bosch's approach: connected wireless sensors transmit field temperature to the farmer's smartphone
- Benefits: farmers save time and money
- Bosch pools its expertise in sensor technology and in the internet of things
Bosch has developed a new type of wireless sensor that is helping to improve asparagus yields, and this achievement has been recognized with a Silver Medal from the AGRITECHNICA Innovations Commission. AGRITECHNICA is the world's largest trade fair for agricultural machinery and equipment (November 10-14, 2015, in Hannover, Germany). The sensor measures the temperature in the beds where the popular vegetable is grown and transmits it to the farmer's smartphone. Farmers can use this data to track the temperature changes of their crops in detail and optimize the growing conditions. In explaining its decision, the Commission stated that the wireless sensor increased the share of marketable produce and therefore boosted farmers' incomes. The system also saves time and money, as farmers need to visit their fields less frequently. “This practical solution improves the information farmers have at their disposal. It can either be expanded for further use in asparagus growing or transferred to other crops,” wrote the Commission.
Sensors help foil regulate temperature
Asparagus grows especially well between 18 and 22 degrees Celsius. One way farmers maintain this temperature is by covering the mounds with strips of two-sided foil: one side is black, the other white. To heat the mounds using sunlight, the foil is laid with the black side facing up. To cool them when it gets too warm, the foil is laid with the white side facing up.
![](http://www.deepfield-robotics.com/images/news_150909_detail_content_big_1.jpg)
The Bosch solution consists of several sensors embedded at various depths in the ground to measure the temperature. Cables send the temperature readings to a small box, which transmits the data via radio to a cloud that is based on the Bosch IoT Suite. From there the data is routed to an app on the farmer's smartphone. The Bosch IoT Suite is a comprehensive software solution that can be used to develop, provide, and operate applications in the internet of things. Developers from several Bosch divisions came together to work on the sensor solution, led by Bosch's own startup, Deepfield Robotics. “We have once again combined our expertise in sensors and in the internet of things,” said Bosch CEO Dr. Volkmar Denner about the software solution.
Premiere in November
The connected sensors will be presented to the public at AGRITECHNICA, the world's largest trade fair for agricultural equipment, running from November 10-14, 2015, in Hannover, Germany.
Details about the Bosch IoT Suite:
http://bit.ly/1yjZn8i