An Application of a LPWAN for Upgrading Proximal Soil Sensing Systems

In recent years, the Internet of Things (IoT), based on low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) wireless communication technology, has developed rapidly. On the one hand, the IoT makes it possible to conduct low-cost, low-power, wide-coverage, and real-time soil monitoring in fields. On the other hand, many proximal soil sensor devices designed based on conventional communication methods that are stored in an inventory face elimination. Considering the idea of saving resources and costs, this paper applied LPWAN technology to an inventoried proximal soil sensor device, by designing an attachment hardware system (AHS) and realizing technical upgrades. The results of the experimental tests proved that the sensor device, after upgrading, could work for several years with only a battery power supply, and the effective wireless communication coverage was nearly 1 km in a typical suburban farming environment. Therefore, the new device not only retained the original mature sensing technology of the sensor device, but also exhibited ultralow power consumption and long-distance transmission, which are advantages of the LPWAN; gave full play to the application value and economic value of the devices stored in inventory; and saved resources and costs. The proposed approach also provides a reference for applying LPWAN technology to a wider range of inventoried sensor devices for technical upgrading.