About AgHelp sensor
I designed a real-time soil moisture sensor system to support small farms, combining hands-on Arduino programming with a focus on user-friendly design. Built from scratch and refined through field testing, the system helps farmers make smarter irrigation decisions—quickly and easily.
Competitive Analysis
This analysis aims to identify the market gaps and opportunities on the market and understand the features and functions of existing sensors.
I selected these four competitors because their sensors can measure at least one parameter that farm products need and display data digitally on the screen or online platform.
User interview
I conducted user interviews with 5 small-scale Michigan farmers on-site and via Zoom—to explore their data needs and barriers to adopting agricultural technology.
Findings
High cost and accessibility
Most agricultural technology solutions are costly and some farmers lack knowledge of available agricultural technology and have difficulty judging which technology is right for their farms.
Internet and digital data
Connecting to the internet is a critical feature to allow farmers to monitor their farms remotely. Farmers prefer a system that collects data automatically instead of having to spend time collecting it manually.
Technical and financial support
Most farmers require technical and financial assistance to implement farm technology, which can encourage them to adopt agricultural systems.
Prototype
Based on the interview with small-scale farmers, I developed a sensor and website prototype to demonstrate the potential of an affordable sensing system. The sensor collects soil moisture, temperature, and humidity data, transmits it via LoRa to a gateway, which then uploads the data to a website through Wi-Fi.
Connection of sensor prototype
By using Arduino programming, I wrote the code into the soil moisture sensor and gateway. The components of AgHelp, include a soil moisture sensor, gateway, antennas, and power bank.
Wireframe
The website wireframe was created using Figma and outlined the website's layout and functionality. It includes key components for farmers to reference or monitor their farm data.
Wireframe testing
I invited two participants from a small farm in Michigan to participate in the wireframe testing and give feedback based on their interaction with the wireframe. At the end of the process, they would answer some questions based on their interaction with the wireframe.
Suggestion 1
Video and weather forecast
Add a video to demonstrate the installation of the different components, and including weather prediction data on the “Data” page would be helpful.
Suggestion 2
Self-help info and chat room
Include the FAQ page, customer/ user’s review, and testimony, and adding a chat room to allow the user to contact the website staff immediately.
Website prototype
Based on the wireframe testing feedback, I built the website on the Wix website builder and followed most of the format and layout in the wireframe. I added more visual elements and installation videos, as well as modified some features based on the wireframe testing feedback to fulfill users’ needs.
User testing
The ultimate idea is that the sensor system can upload the data to the designated website. Hence, evaluating whether the website and system can work well together is crucial, and user testing is needed for this purpose.
To test the system, I recruited one farm and instructed the participant how to use AgHelp. A survey was provided at the end of the testing to collect the feedback
User testing result
The participant had some questions about the unit regarding soil moisture. He was unsure what the soil moisture value meant, and it would be easier to convert the value into a percentage for a better understanding. The unit would not be updated at the moment since the time limit of this project.