5 ms·

I'm concerned with the environmental impact of: "...farmers looking to measure soil temperature or moisture could affordably blanket an entire field to determi

I'm concerned with the environmental impact of: "...farmers looking to measure soil temperature or moisture could affordably blanket an entire field to determine how to efficiently plant seeds or water. " Littering chips all over the place?

jrowley 9y ago
I'm sad to see eutropia's comment downvoted - it's a valid point that needs consideration. We only get one earth.
- crispyambulance 9y ago
  I think its a valid point, but perhaps throwing these things into a crop was just "an example" illustrating how inexpensive these things are? The researchers aren't necessarily interested strictly in agricultural applications.
- CamperBob2 9y ago
  I didn't downvote him/her, but speaking from a general perspective as a longtime HN reader, this site seems to be intended to appeal to people interested in new technologies and interesting applications. It's just not a good home for knee-jerk naysaying and virtue signalling. Those kinds of posts -- while sometimes relevant and valuable when they have actual numbers behind them -- should be held to a more critical standard on HN than they often are, IMO.
  - musage 9y ago
    Why are you throwing "knee-jerk naysaying" and having a conscience and an awareness of the recklessness and greed of some, and of the lack of spine of others in one bucket? What about the knee-jerk cheerleading? How does that express more and deeper interest than discussing potential pitfalls? I don't know about anyone else, but when I code I spend more time thinking about what could go wrong and how to address that, than admiring the parts that work perfectly. When someone gushes at the mouth about how "awesome" it is that it took many very talented people a lot of time to make a toaster play music, the heretics are quiet already. What more do you want? There seems to be a trade-off of chilling effects here, on the one hand, nobody would show off things they made to a community that just bashes it, on the other hand, nobody would show off their serious thoughts to a community that just wants fluff. > sometimes relevant and valuable when they have actual numbers behind them Oh, "actual numbers". Do you have any actual numbers proving they aren't held to the standard they should be held to? If you do, I changed my mind, I now want actual Egyptian hieroglyphs of a seer announcing you making that claim; I can make up arbitrary, oddly convenient demands too.
sapote 9y ago
And largely these sensors are unnecessary. Such "precision agriculture" efforts are just doubling down on a broken agricultural paradigm.
- Sargos 9y ago
  What does that even mean? Plant seeds, water, temperature is just how nature works. What other "paradigm" of agriculture is there? Maybe you mean everyone growing their own food? That's not sustainable.
  - sapote 9y ago
    Two things: * Sure, seeds germinate with water and warmth. But that's true today. In the words of an Australian farmer quoted in a research paper a few years ago: "Mate, we don't need a chip to tell us the soil's dry." * There are other paradigms of agriculture that are actually sustainable. Agroecology is a good example of an alternative scientific paradigm for agriculture, one that thinks of agriculture in ecological terms.
    - macintux 9y ago
      I'm not convinced by the Australian farmer. Microclimates are a thing. Water is not evenly distributed across any sizable plot of land. Being able to tell where the water is (or more importantly isn't) can surely help deploy resources more efficiently. But, I'm a desk jockey, and hope to never, ever be a farmer.
      - ivan_gammel 9y ago
        You are right. I've been working a bit with the software for water management (although related to measurements of humidity over the day). Local management of resources does increase yields and sometimes just saves the crop.
    - DoubleCribble 9y ago
      The Australian farmer might not, but the machine that replaces him will.
DubiousPusher 9y ago
Combine it with compostable plastics and organic circuits though and you might be able to build a low power sensor that biodegrades in a dozen years or so.
icebraining 9y ago
Researchers at my alma mater created paper transistors, maybe they could be biodegradable after EOL?

jrowley 9y ago

I'm sad to see eutropia's comment downvoted - it's a valid point that needs consideration. We only get one earth.

crispyambulance 9y ago
I think its a valid point, but perhaps throwing these things into a crop was just "an example" illustrating how inexpensive these things are? The researchers aren't necessarily interested strictly in agricultural applications.
CamperBob2 9y ago
I didn't downvote him/her, but speaking from a general perspective as a longtime HN reader, this site seems to be intended to appeal to people interested in new technologies and interesting applications. It's just not a good home for knee-jerk naysaying and virtue signalling. Those kinds of posts -- while sometimes relevant and valuable when they have actual numbers behind them -- should be held to a more critical standard on HN than they often are, IMO.
- musage 9y ago
  Why are you throwing "knee-jerk naysaying" and having a conscience and an awareness of the recklessness and greed of some, and of the lack of spine of others in one bucket? What about the knee-jerk cheerleading? How does that express more and deeper interest than discussing potential pitfalls? I don't know about anyone else, but when I code I spend more time thinking about what could go wrong and how to address that, than admiring the parts that work perfectly. When someone gushes at the mouth about how "awesome" it is that it took many very talented people a lot of time to make a toaster play music, the heretics are quiet already. What more do you want? There seems to be a trade-off of chilling effects here, on the one hand, nobody would show off things they made to a community that just bashes it, on the other hand, nobody would show off their serious thoughts to a community that just wants fluff. > sometimes relevant and valuable when they have actual numbers behind them Oh, "actual numbers". Do you have any actual numbers proving they aren't held to the standard they should be held to? If you do, I changed my mind, I now want actual Egyptian hieroglyphs of a seer announcing you making that claim; I can make up arbitrary, oddly convenient demands too.

sapote 9y ago

And largely these sensors are unnecessary. Such "precision agriculture" efforts are just doubling down on a broken agricultural paradigm.

Sargos 9y ago
What does that even mean? Plant seeds, water, temperature is just how nature works. What other "paradigm" of agriculture is there? Maybe you mean everyone growing their own food? That's not sustainable.
- sapote 9y ago
  Two things: * Sure, seeds germinate with water and warmth. But that's true today. In the words of an Australian farmer quoted in a research paper a few years ago: "Mate, we don't need a chip to tell us the soil's dry." * There are other paradigms of agriculture that are actually sustainable. Agroecology is a good example of an alternative scientific paradigm for agriculture, one that thinks of agriculture in ecological terms.
  - macintux 9y ago
    I'm not convinced by the Australian farmer. Microclimates are a thing. Water is not evenly distributed across any sizable plot of land. Being able to tell where the water is (or more importantly isn't) can surely help deploy resources more efficiently. But, I'm a desk jockey, and hope to never, ever be a farmer.
    - ivan_gammel 9y ago
      You are right. I've been working a bit with the software for water management (although related to measurements of humidity over the day). Local management of resources does increase yields and sometimes just saves the crop.
  - DoubleCribble 9y ago
    The Australian farmer might not, but the machine that replaces him will.

DubiousPusher 9y ago

Combine it with compostable plastics and organic circuits though and you might be able to build a low power sensor that biodegrades in a dozen years or so.

icebraining 9y ago

Researchers at my alma mater created paper transistors, maybe they could be biodegradable after EOL?