“TECHNO-CHAMP 2011”

TEAM NAME :: INNO_MATES

CHALLENGE :: A mobile phone based solution that helps in farm management,

agricultural yield improvement, care/maintenance of farm equipment, produce
distribution.

THEME :: To find out the moisture content of soil in an agricultural field

using the GPS system on a mobile device using Android Application.

THEORETICAL DESCRIPTION AND FUNCTIONALITY::

For precise applications of GPS, reflected signals are considered as a source of

error rather than a useful signal. Because of the complexity of the reflecting environment
at most GPS sites (e.g. topography, buildings), there are no standardized modeling
approaches for removing these effects. Instead, quantification of “multipath” levels is
only used as a quality check on GPS sites.”

Fig. 1:: Block Diagram showing flow of signals

GPS SATELLITE

MOBILE
DEVICE TRANSMITTER

The Block Diagram in fig. 1 shows the flow of signal. Firstly, the Android based
application on Mobile device (acting as our receiver) sends signal to the GPS satellite
under the coverage reach. Then the Satellite searches for the transmitter having same
frequency as that of the receiver. Once located, the Satellite sends Radio waves signals
to the transmitter which is located/ placed in the field. Now the transmitter receives the
signals via “Multipath” and the signals which are obtained via reflections from the soil
surface (which mainly constitutes of different moisture content every time other than
the usual constraints which remain fixed) create “Multipath noise” distortions. The
transmitted GPS signal arrives by both direct and reflected paths, with the receiver
measuring the sum of these signals. The amplitude of the composite signal depends on a
combination of ground surface qualities (dielectric constant; roughness) and the GPS
antenna gain pattern. The phase relationship between the direct and reflected signals
changes over time, modulating the observed signal amplitude. Signals for these
satellites reflect off the ground south of the antenna . For a known distance above the
ground h and GPS wavelength λ, the frequency f for multipath reflections is 4∏h/λ.

The Mobile phone device receives the signals in the same form and shows the output to
the User who is the farmer/owner of the field in this case on his mobile phone
application.

HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS::

 GPS enabled Mobile Phone with Android as OS
 Receiver-Mobile Phone itself acts as the receiver
 Transmitter
 Android SDK
 Android Emulator

APPLICATIONS ::
 Considering different moisture requirement for different crops,
estimation of moisture content would help the farm/field owner to
optimally decide which crop to be cultivated in which part of the
field.
 This technology effectively helps in irrigation in regular practice.
 The owner/farmer could actually monitor the soil moisture content
without actually being physically present on every part of the field
which is very crucial if the field is widespread in large area.

LIMITATIONS ::
 In case of extreme weather and cloudy sky, the efficiency of the
technology decreases as the clouds further increases the
obstructions and increases the “multi-path noise” and hence is to be
avoided in such conditions.
 This technology can not give 100% accurate estimation as Ideal
situation is not available.

REFERENCE ::
www.google.com
www.howstuffworks.com
www.wikipedia.com