DEMETER Open Call winner addresses sustainability

Métrica6 is an R&D company specialized in the development of eco-efficient and sustainable solutions. Among the services we provide, you can find the development of technological products, ranging from the basic idea to its implementation in real environments and technology business consulting.

We have more than eight years of experience in the sector, throughout our trajectory we have worked on different eco-efficient solutions applied in multiple sectors, where we highlight above all the technologies aimed at improving water management in cities, homes, industry, etc. rural environment, etc.

Of the different proposals that DEMETER has established in their Open Call #1, DEVELOP, our WAISENSE FIELDS project is part of challenge 1, which deals with soil workability and humidity monitoring

This DEMETER’s Open Call #1 sought, through collaboration between organizations and the interaction between different proposals, to improve the management of water intended for irrigation within agriculture.

The agricultural sector is one of the sectors that makes the greatest use of existing water reserves, so improving its processes and management is essential to ensure and extend the life of water reserves, due to the increase in demand.

Farm used in the pilot in Granada, Spain

WAISENSE FIELDS technology solves water waste in multiple aspects within the irrigation process: remote management, temperature / humidity detection to optimize irrigation, leak detection and anti-freeze pipe system. A single problem is attacked from different fronts, providing a comprehensive solution for the sector.

WAISENSE FIELDS is a modular IoT system, in which the different modules are interconnected in order, according to measurements, to plan the irrigation of the soil so that it is in optimal humidity conditions.

WAISENSE FIELDS is made up of:

  • Soil sensors module: Sensor for the ground, can include, upon request, the measurement of other parameters as temperature, pH, salinity, etc.
  • Ambient sensors module: Registers the ambient temperature and humidity.
  • Sensorized pump module: Used to start / stop the watering cycle and to prevent freezing.
  • Sensorized Valve module: Detect water leaks and cut off the supply.
  • Gateway: Allows bidirectional communication between the modules and the platform, both to send information and to send orders.
  • Platform: Dashboard for control and communication with the system from a computer. It allows to view the control area, collect data from the sensors, activate / deactivate the program, program alerts, etc.
  • App: It has many of the functions of the platform. It includes other parameters such as notifications in real time, taking photos / videos, immediate interaction with the modules, etc.
  • Satellite Mapping Information: It allows to measure humidity and other parameters on a larger scale using satellite images.

Through the interaction of these modules with each other and with the Platform and management app, we get to have real data of the environment, self-schedule irrigation or create alerts, among other functions, to avoid wasting water.

Modules used in the pilot

For farmers, the WAISENSE FIELDS system has many advantages. On the one hand, when measuring soil and environmental humidity, irrigation is self-programmed to avoid excess humidity in the soil. This programming can also be done manually, so that we avoid unnecessary movements of the farmer to start the irrigation system. As additions, it has freeze prevention systems, specially designed for areas with colder climates in which low temperatures can cause multiple inconveniences.

By having, in addition, a system that records consumption data automatically and detects leaks, response and action times are significantly shortened, saving time, water and money.

To date, all these technologies have been tested on a farm located in Granada (Spain) with satisfactory results.

Our next steps are focused on testing this technology in different real environments, to test its effectiveness in diverse types of terrain and with different meteorological situations to optimize the operation and positive result in any scenario.