Ultra-Low Power Sensor Network

Default ARPA-E Project Image

Program:
OPEN 2018
Award:
$2,164,187
Location:
Salt Lake City, Utah
Status:
ALUMNI
Project Term:
06/21/2019 - 06/20/2023
Website:

Technology Description:

The University of Utah will develop ultra-low power sensors engineered to passively detect specific volatile emissions, and enable the early detection of invasive weeds and/or insects in biofuel crop production. Farmers currently lose about 40% of crops due to weeds and insects that ideally need to be removed within a week of detection to prevent significant damage. Earlier detection could minimize such losses, and enable decreased applications of pesticides and herbicides, significantly increasing the overall energy efficiency of crop production and economic viability of energy biomass generation.

Potential Impact:

The proposed technology is disruptive and effective because it enables the realization of a sensor network capable of measuring gas emission directly from crops using ultra-low power.

Security:

America’s farms are a strategic asset critical to national food and energy security. Using farmland more efficiently will enable increased production of feedstocks for food, feed, and fuel.

Environment:

The proposed low-power WSN can detect crop damage caused by insect pests within a few hours and weed germination within a few days, enabling a much faster and more precise response vis-à-vis herbicide/pesticide application than imaging or manual detection.

Economy:

The proposed technology will significantly reduce the cost and amounts of herbicides/pesticides in farmland, eventually increasing the energy and economic efficiency in biofuel production.

Contact

ARPA-E Program Director:
Dr. Olga Spahn
Project Contact:
Prof. Hanseup Kim
Press and General Inquiries Email:
ARPA-E-Comms@hq.doe.gov
Project Contact Email:
hanseup@ece.utah.edu

Partners

University of Nebraska, Lincoln

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Release Date:
12/13/2017