A New Generation of IoT Solutions

As my time at Temple University comes to a close, I think about moments with classmates and friends. I think about some of the rewarding projects where I’ve learned a great deal about innovation and the entrepreneurial skills it takes to run a company. Perhaps the most hands-on experience occurred during my final semester when had the opportunity to work with NOAH Foundation as a content specialist.

NOAH Foundation

NOAH Foundation, is a non-profit which seeks to use technology to achieve the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals. CEO, Isadora Detres has recently been awarded a Microsoft AI for Earth grant and she is leading NOAH in developing MAID (Machines Artificially Identifying Debris) and BTLER (Bionic Technology Leveraging Electronic Requests) two applications using Microsoft Azure that aim to improve water sanitation. In my research to better understand Azure and the Internet of Things (IoT), which is rapidly changing the world around us, I found it clear that few industries have been transformed more than agriculture. Although farming practices have been constantly evolving since the time of horse-drawn plows, the ability to fit a property with thousands of sensors should be a beginning point for modern farming. In this post, I highlight two independent solutions, that are making great strides in the agriculture industry.

FarmBeats

FarmBeats, an Azure solution uses a sophisticated network of sensors on a farm to gather a broad collection of data. The data collected by one farm can be valuable, however, as stated by Michael Busser, Azure’s national program leader “The goal is to gather information from all of our locations and bring it back into a single cloud presence” from there, the real possibilities begin. FarmBeats uses low-cost sensors and a uniquely designed system for transmitting the information to a universal database; this makes it possible to reach farms that have limited access to cellular towers. FarmBeats users then have access to an entire pool of data from farms across the entire network. Data is then manipulated with AI and Machine Learning tools to discover any existent patterns or run simulated scenarios.

Ag-Analytics

Ag-Analytics leverages relevant data and gives customers access to an agriculture “portal” where it can be viewed. Ag-Analytics uses images and data gathered by NASA and USGS to create a data landscape. Their portal supplies farmers with a more complete view of their yield performance during a given period. Customers can also monitor the performance of each individual crop or plot of land. This technology is being used to monitor farms in real-time and prepare for future seasons. Farmers can view in-depth local weather reports and soil composition in order to make sure plants are not in immediate danger. Ag-Analytics portal tool also stores and tracks data so users can make decisions based on a larger set of data.

The overarching theme in these technologies proves that there is strength in aggregate data. Fitting one farm with thousands of sensors is a great way to monitor a single property. But, the true power of IoT emerges when thousands of farms, each outfitted with thousands of sensors, are connected to one another. Our farmers that feed people all over the world will be able to collaborate and learn from each other to an extent we’ve never seen; allowing them to grow more crops while using less resources.

To learn more about NOAH Foundation or to donate visit: www.noahservices.org