Improving Energy Efficiency of Irrigation Wells by Using an IoT-Based Platform

Sustainable irrigation technologies: a water-energy-food (WEF) nexus perspective towards achieving more crop per drop per joule per hectare

Sustainable agricultural intensification requires irrigation methods and strategies to minimize yield penalties while optimizing water, land and energy use efficiencies. We assessed, from a silo-based and integrated water-energy-food (WEF) nexus perspective, the performance of irrigation technologies in different agro-climatic regions. Secondary to this, we assessed the impact of adopting systematic approaches such as the WEF nexus on improving efficiency in irrigated agriculture through irrigation modernization. The evidence-based perspectives of silo-based performances individually considered the metrics of yield (Y), water use efficiency (WUE), and energy productivity (EP). The WEF nexus approach applied sustainability polygons to integrate the three metrics into a nexus index representing the holistic performance of the irrigation technologies. Silo-based performance in temperate regions suggests net gains for WUE (+1.10 kg m-3) and Y (+6.29 ton ha-1) when transitioning from furrow to sprinkler irrigation, with a net loss in EP (-3.82 ton MJ-1). There is potential for a net loss on EP (-3.33 ton MJ-1) when transitioning from furrow to drip system in temperate regions. The best performance of irrigation technologies in dry regions in water, energy and food silos was achieved by sprinkler, drip and furrow irrigation systems, respectively. Thus, appraising irrigation technologies from a silos perspective promotes individual silos, which renders an unsustainable picture of the performance of irrigation systems. The integrative WEF nexus approach successfully highlighted the trade-offs and synergies in the nexus of water, energy and food in irrigated agriculture. Drip irrigation led all irrigation technologies in WEF nexus performance in dry (21.44 unit2), tropical (23.98 unit2), and temperate regions (47.28 unit2). Overall, the irrigation modernization pathway to drip technology from either furrow or sprinkler systems improves irrigated agriculture's WEF nexus performance in all three regions for more crop per drop per joule per hectare under climate change. This can promote inclusive and sustainable irrigation development within the planetary boundaries.

Smart Control and Energy Efficiency in Irrigation Systems Using LoRaWAN

Irrigation installations in cities or agricultural operations use large amounts of water and electrical energy in their activity. Therefore, optimising these resources is essential nowadays. Wireless networks offer ideal support for such applications. The long-range wide-area network (LoRaWAN) used in this research offers a large coverage of up to 5 km, has low power consumption and does not need additional hardware such as repeaters or signal amplifiers. This research develops a control and monitoring system for irrigation systems. For this purpose, an irrigation algorithm is designed that uses rainfall probability data to regulate the irrigation of the installation. The algorithm is complemented by checking the sending and receiving of information in the LoRa network to reduce the loss of information packets. In addition, two temperature and humidity measurement devices for LoRaWAN (THMDLs) and an electrovalve control device for LoRaWAN (ECDLs) were developed. The hardware and software were also designed, and prototypes were built with the development of the electronic board. The wide coverage of the LoRaWAN allows the covering of small to large irrigation areas.

State of the Art of Urban Smart Vertical Farming Automation System: Advanced Topologies, Issues and Recommendations

The global economy is now under threat due to the ongoing domestic and international lockdown for COVID-19. Many have already lost their jobs, and businesses have been unstable in the Corona era. Apart from educational institutions, banks, privately owned institutions, and agriculture, there are signs of economic recession in almost all sectors. The roles of modern technology, the Internet of things, and artificial intelligence are undeniable in helping the world achieve economic prosperity in the post-COVID-19 economic downturn. Food production must increase by 60% by 2050 to meet global food security demands in the face of uncertainty such as the COVID-19 pandemic and a growing population. Given COVID 19’s intensity and isolation, improving food production and distribution systems is critical to combating hunger and addressing the double burden of malnutrition. As the world’s population is growing day by day, according to an estimation world’s population reaches 9.6 billion by 2050, so there is a growing need to modify the agriculture methods, technologies so that maximum crops can be attained and human effort can be reduced. The urban smart vertical farming (USVF) is a solution to secure food production, which can be introduced at any adaptive reuse, retrofit, or new buildings in vertical manners. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of the concept of USVF using various techniques to enhance productivity as well as its types, topologies, technologies, control systems, social acceptance, and benefits. This review has focused on numerous issues, challenges, and recommendations in the development of the system, vertical farming management, and modern technologies approach.

Means of IoT and Fuzzy Cognitive Maps in Reactive Navigation of Ubiquitous Robots

Development of accessible and cheap sensors as well as the possibility to transfer and process huge amounts of data offer new possibilities for many areas utilizing till now conventional approaches. Navigation of robots and autonomous vehicles is no exception in this aspect and Internet of Things (IoT), together with the means of computational intelligence, represents a new way for construction and use of robots. In this paper, the possibility to move sensors from robots to their surroundings with the help of IoT is presented and the modification of the IoT concept in the form of intelligent space as well as the concept of ubiquitous robot are shown in the paper. On an example of route tracking, we will clarify the potential of distributed networked sensors and processing their data with the use of fuzzy cognitive maps for robotic navigation. Besides, two modifications of adaptation approaches, namely particle swarm optimization and migration algorithm, are presented here. A series of simulations was performed, which are discussed and future research directions are proposed.