SBIR/STTR Research Award
Low Cost Frequency Domain Moisture Sensor
Award amount
$55,000Program and phase
SBIR · Phase IAward year
1997Award details
- Awarding agency
- Department of Agriculture
- Branch
- Not reported
- Recipient company
- Retrokool
- Proposal award date
- Not reported
- Contract end date
- Not reported
- UEI
- Not reported
- Solicitation number
- Not reported
- Topic code
- Not reported
Research abstract
A soil moisture measuring probe has been developed that is designed to interface with automatedirrigation systems, and which utilizes an encapsulated, remote sensing, frequency domain method thatelectronically isolates the dielectric measurement from the effects of soil pH and salinity. The sensorhas zero maintenance requirements and an indefinite lifespan. It is low in cost, accurate and userfriendly.The Phase I research will create a testing database to demonstrate the feasibility of obtaining a trouble-free performance of the sensor in soils containing variable concentrations of soil types and farmchemicals, to further optimize the performance of the probe, and to obtain independent testing forexternal validation of the results.
Technology keywords
Not reported