I really need the sensor density as a function of area (standard units are OK) and the total area. Bob Wilson
Perhaps I misunderstood. I thought you were planning some testing that needed an array of soil water measurements. Bob Wilson
I absolutely will. After sensors are speaking, there will be trays of (quite unusual) Honghe soil with controlled wetness and sensors no closer than 20 cm. Because if closer they may notice each other. I see three stages. First is hardware/software integration. Second is sensor calibrations under strict controls. Third is deployment in actual field soils where I am changing things.
Arduinos, MUXs and sensors have been ordered. I wanted to get them from (more or less) trusted domestic suppliers but my employer has rules. Oddly enough they point to purchasing from Taobao. It is a dimly illuminated pit, so boxes might come filled with styrofoam packing & nothing else. Some Taobao suppliers play fair, but by no means all. Dense soil measurements are part of big-data agriculture and getting attention recently. But pointing towards high-priced equipment. Not a good fit for sub-industrial-scale agriculture. This is an intentionally disruptive plan.
Good news - you have students Bad news - sometime cyber exposure leads to a change in careers In college, I got an "F" on my first Fortran course even though I'd completed every homework assignment. When I retook the course, I blew off the homework assignments and read the first half of the Fortran manual for the mid-term and all of it before the final, got an "A". The grade was based on a multi-guess quiz on Fortran syntax. I have never consider computers anything more than a 'game of chess'. Apparently this led to a long and well compensated career. But it short-circuited other interesting puzzles. Bob Wilson
Arduino hardware and software are sold as easy enough for kiddies. So there is a risk if I can't make this work. Actually most Arduino projects seem silly to me. Probably just a poor demographic fit. Learning exercise for students is to bury soil sensors correctly vs. the normal lazy way. In this very rocky soil. Tools need to be utilized correctly. Paying $1000 for a tool does not remove that responsibility. Paying $2 instead makes it easier to teach.
Please view this thing on trees and say whether you find the style informative and useful. Climate change and deforestation: These 3 supertrees can protect us from climate collapse
excellent. entertaining and informative. kind of what i remember from the museum of science type of presentations.
When I was at Oak Ridge I was very excited at possibility of sampling air from a 1000-foot tower. Unfortunately some radio engineer made a successful suicide from it, and they shut down access.