Design Article
Slideshow: Making sense of connected sensors
Junko Yoshida
11/19/2012 12:15 PM EST
Smart rice paddies
Next: Smart home nets
"Smart agriculture" was a hot topic at the Embedded Technology show. Sensors installed in rice fields can detect water temperature and sense pH scale, for example. Power remains and issue, however. Fujitsu Semiconductor said it has developed an ultra-low power step-down DC/DC converter for piezoelectric power sources and small solar cells. Farmers can then use solar panels, water mills or vibration equipment built near rice fields to generate power.
Next: Smart home nets
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junko.yoshida
11/20/2012 12:39 PM EST
Thanks. What was interesting to me at Embedded Technology 2012 conference this year was that the conversation on "sensors" has gone beyond "gee whiz." Many vendors showed off their solutions addressing communication protocoles, energy generation and design issues.
I would actually like to get our readers' view towards "Echont Lite" protocoles -- designed to have different connected devices talk to each other. It was developed by Japanese vendors and being promoted by the Japanese ministry. Are we seeing any interest in the rest of the world for this?
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docdivakar
11/26/2012 2:05 PM EST
@Junko: neat applications!! I already have a book idea: '7 Habits of Highly Effective Runners!!" from that Smart Athletic Shoe...
Scoliosis detection using Kinect is another interesting application in BioMed.
This is just the tip of the iceberg about Connected Sensors in many industries.
MP Divakar
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collin
11/25/2012 9:38 AM EST
Where the Embedded Technology 2012 conference held?
In Japan?
Actually, I admire Japan's science and technology very much.
I wonder if it is possible to connect all together through sensors.
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collin
11/25/2012 9:53 AM EST
The application of embedded technology on agriculture is still in the lab, I think.
Its cost must be high. It is too new conception to accept for common farmers. Because it is quite different from traditional agriculture in their mind.
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waveanalog
11/26/2012 12:55 AM EST
I noticed a recuting ad for a startup here in sf bay area.A Stanford robotics research grad teamed up with a former Trimble agricultural engineer.They were looking for embedded designer to advance the project to automate fine-grained plant tending.Trimble now links tractors to satellite spectural imagery for tuning delivery of nutriants etc. .But robotics-sensor promises a much finer resolution of plant care with much less broadcast delivery.They hope to eliminate over spraying and tune harvesting.It seems it`s more a question of when rather than if,to me.
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