ABSTRACT
Recent advances in microelectronic and microelectromechanical systems have produced new battery-powered sensor devices that have capabilities for detecting and processing physical information. These devices (nodes) can be connected to form a wireless sensor network (WSN) that performs a variety of operations. WSNs provide sensing accuracy and fault tolerance and can be deployed in harsh environments to provide continuous monitoring and processing capabilities.
WSNs collect various types of data from a monitored area. Depending on the application, parameters sensed may include moisture, temperature, nutrients, and pollutants. Sensed information is carried over multihop from node to node to a base station (BS) for further processing and action taking.
28Given the numerous benefits WSNs offer, a case study was developed for their potential implementation in the farming sector in Saudi Arabia. Water utilization in Saudi is very critical as there is little permanent storage for it such as reservoirs or dams. At the same time, the Saudi land is fertile and has the potential to produce both quantity and quality crops such as wheat, dates, fruits, vegetables, flowers, and alfalfa. This case study focuses on WSNs to control water used for irrigation as well as for monitoring the quantity and quality of crops.
This study is motivated by both the lack of water and the premise that for the majority of crops, an excess of water may have an equally negative effect as does a deficit. Hence, the need for a technology as an aid to optimally dispense the appropriate amount of water for optimal crop quantity and quality. It is believed that WSNs provide an answer.
