Windows IoT: Agri-Sensor Project

Leveraging the power of Windows IoT for smart agriculture.

Transforming Agriculture with Smart Sensors

Discover how to build a robust and intelligent agricultural sensor system powered by Windows IoT Core, enabling real-time data collection and analysis for optimized crop management.

Project Overview

The Agri-Sensor Project aims to develop a cost-effective and scalable solution for monitoring critical environmental parameters in agricultural settings. By utilizing Windows IoT, developers can create sophisticated applications that collect data from various sensors, process it locally or in the cloud, and provide actionable insights to farmers.

This project showcases a practical implementation of IoT technology in a real-world domain, highlighting the versatility and power of the Windows ecosystem for embedded systems.

Key Features

Hardware Components

The project typically involves a Windows IoT-enabled device (like a Raspberry Pi 2/3/4 with Windows 10 IoT Core) connected to a variety of sensors:

Here's a look at a typical setup:

Raspberry Pi IoT Setup Agri-Sensor Module Data Dashboard Mockup

Software Architecture

The software stack is built using familiar Windows development tools:

Example Code Snippet (C# for reading a DHT sensor - simplified):

using System;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using Windows.Devices.Gpio;
using System.Threading;

public class DhtSensor
{
    private GpioPin _dataPin;
    private byte[] _data = new byte[40];
    private Timer _readTimer;

    public async Task InitializeAsync(int dataPinNumber)
    {
        var gpioController = await GpioController.GetDefaultAsync();
        _dataPin = gpioController.OpenPin(dataPinNumber);
        _dataPin.SetDriveMode(GpioPinDriveMode.Input);

        // Initialize timer for periodic readings
        _readTimer = new Timer(async (e) => await ReadSensor(), null, TimeSpan.Zero, TimeSpan.FromSeconds(5));
    }

    private async Task ReadSensor()
    {
        if (await SendStartSignal())
        {
            if (ReadData())
            {
                float humidity = ( ( (_data[0] << 8) | _data[1] ) & 0x7FFF) / 10.0f;
                float temperature = ( ( (_data[2] << 8) | _data[3] ) & 0x7FFF) / 10.0f;
                byte checksum = _data[4];

                if (checksum == (_data[0] + _data[1] + _data[2] + _data[3]))
                {
                    Console.WriteLine($"Temp: {temperature}C, Humidity: {humidity}%");
                    // TODO: Send data to cloud or process
                }
            }
        }
    }

    private async Task SendStartSignal()
    {
        _dataPin.Write(GpioPinValue.Low);
        await Task.Delay(TimeSpan.FromMilliseconds(18)); // ~18ms
        _dataPin.Write(GpioPinValue.High);
        await Task.Delay(TimeSpan.FromTicks(40)); // ~40us

        // Wait for sensor response
        await Task.Yield(); // Allow context switch
        var watch = System.Diagnostics.Stopwatch.StartNew();
        while (_dataPin.Read() == GpioPinValue.High)
        {
            if (watch.ElapsedMilliseconds > 100) return false; // Timeout
        }
        watch.Stop();
        return true;
    }

    private bool ReadData()
    {
        // Read 40 bits from the sensor
        for (int i = 0; i < 40; i++)
        {
            await Task.Yield();
            var watch = System.Diagnostics.Stopwatch.StartNew();
            while (_dataPin.Read() == GpioPinValue.Low)
            {
                if (watch.ElapsedMilliseconds > 100) return false; // Timeout
            }
            watch.Stop();

            watch.Restart();
            while (_dataPin.Read() == GpioPinValue.High)
            {
                if (watch.ElapsedMilliseconds > 100) return false; // Timeout
            }
            watch.Stop();

            _data[i / 8] <<= 1;
            if (watch.ElapsedMilliseconds > 40) // If high pulse is long, it's a 1
            {
                _data[i / 8] |= 1;
            }
        }
        return true;
    }

    public void Dispose()
    {
        _readTimer?.Dispose();
        _dataPin?.Dispose();
    }
}

Getting Started

  1. Set up Windows 10 IoT Core: Flash Windows 10 IoT Core onto your Raspberry Pi or compatible device.
  2. Connect Hardware: Wire up your sensors to the GPIO pins of your IoT device according to the pinout diagrams.
  3. Develop Application: Create a UWP application in Visual Studio using C# or your preferred language. Utilize libraries for GPIO access and sensor communication.
  4. Deploy: Deploy your application to your IoT device.
  5. Configure Cloud: Set up Azure IoT Hub or another cloud service to receive and process sensor data. Implement logic for dashboards and alerts.
  6. Test and Iterate: Deploy the system in a test environment and refine based on performance and data.

Community and Resources

Join the vibrant Windows IoT community to share your projects, ask questions, and find inspiration:

Share your Agri-Sensor Project journey using #WindowsIoT and #AgriTech!