Agriculture
Technology: Wireless Control through Smartphones in Ag Applications.
A few years
ago, wireless controls in agriculture technology applications were relegated to
special applications, with dedicated remotes controlling specific functions. As
the cost for a wireless interface was relatively large, the wireless control –
a control interface that was not directly wired to the machine that it was
controlling – was adopted only where the benefits were clear and the costs
could be justified.
The world
has changed, and today, most farmers have very powerful control and monitoring
devices in their pocket: smartphones. The introduction of these devices has
significantly changed the cost/benefit analysis of adding wireless control
capabilities to an agriculture control system, as the costs have significantly
gone down while the capabilities have increased exponentially.
M2M
communications in the area of agriculture technology allow devices, both wired
and wireless, to connect. M2M solutions allow a device (such as a smartphone)
to capture an event (i.e. the weather) that is transmitted through a network
(like the cellular network) to an application (app) that converts the event
into relevant data (alerting, in this example, that the equipment needs
adjustment because of a particular weather situation).
Today’s
typical iPhone or Android device is a powerful processing tool containing
built-in M2M communication functionalities that can be very useful in
agriculture control applications: GPS, Internet connectivity, wireless control
capabilities and a high definition display with touchscreen controls are just a
few examples.
Another
great benefit for using iPhone or Android devices for agriculture technology
applications is that remote-specific issues (such as battery life, and
replacement of lost/damaged special function remotes) are no longer the
responsibility of the manufacturer of the agriculture equipment, but tied into
a cell phone that the farmer already owns, is familiar with, and regularly
upgrades.
With these
changes to the technology landscape, a wide range of new potential applications
for interfacing tablets and smartphones to agriculture technology applications
is opening up. Innovative engineers designing agriculture equipment will
quickly recognize how this M2M communication technology can be applied to their
systems to bring new control and monitoring capabilities – providing them with
a significant competitive advantage – while other companies that are reluctant
to change may quickly get left behind.
When all
pieces of the agriculture technology control system are integrated,
mechanical/electronic devices and software communicate with each other and
evolve through the endless range of possibilities that OEMs have today in the
agriculture sector. Designers of agriculture equipment should begin considering
how M2M communication and these new technologies can add value to their systems
and applications. Some agriculture technology control applications may have
been difficult or costly in the past; today, with the addition of mobile smart
devices, innovations can be straightforward and economical. The following are
some examples:
Telematics
and remote diagnostics – A Wi-Fi or Bluetooth-enabled implement controller can
connect to Cloud-based services through the cellular network of a mobile
device. This would allow service and support people to see live machine
diagnostics or historical data logs from a remote location, to diagnose/track
issues in the field.
Integration
of maps and GPS – Many ag applications, beyond typical precision farming
applications, can now take advantage of integrating mapping and GPS into their
applications. By having Google Maps (or other mapping applications) integrated
into a customized app for the implement and by using the mobile device GPS, new
applications can be enabled such as coordination of multiple vehicles in large
farms, tracking harvest throughput by area or marking location of bales.
Use of
weather information – In farming, the weather is always a critical factor for
consideration. The optimal running modes of many different types of equipment
depend on weather factors such as temperature, humidity and barometric
pressure. This information is readily available through mobile devices and can
be used to “auto-tune” equipment to adjust to the weather conditions.
Wireless
control – Few things are more frustrating than losing a remote control that is needed
to run a piece of equipment. Using a smartphone as a remote means that the
operator is more likely to know where the remote is at all times. Smartphones
allow for much more flexibility in monitoring and control as they are not
limited to only a few buttons, and entirely different screens can be shown for
different operating modes.
Smartphones
and tablets can bring real value to the control and monitoring of agricultural
equipment, and these are just a few examples. A specialized company like JCA
Electronics brings to the table a deep knowledge of electrical, electronic, and
software systems as well as hands-on experience working with agriculture
equipment designers, tying expertise in technology with customer’s expertise in
agriculture applications.
JCA develops
and integrates all the pieces that an ag control system requires in order to
operate effectively in the M2M communication technology environment:
- · Controllers on the equipment, to interface with sensors and hydraulics.
- · Proprietary controllers that bridge the gap between the ag equipment control and mobile devices.
- · Development of control software that is specific to the unique functionality of each implement.
- · Development of apps for tablet and smartphones (iOS, Android, and Windows platforms).
- · Selection of sensors for the control application, and design and manufacture of the wire harnessing to connect the whole system together.
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