EnviTronics Lab

  It's fascinating how many posts blame AI for job displacement and societal ills. We hear constant narratives about evil AI destroying lives. Of course, there's the other side – the chorus of positivity about AI revolutionizing the world. But let's be clear: AI itself does nothing. We are. Stop attributing agency to algorithms.     It's like blaming cows for mad cow disease or climate change. The real culprits are the engineers, scientists, CEOs, investors, and lawmakers who prioritize profit over ethics, empathy, and societal well-being. Their relentless pursuit of "benefit" has driven this destructive trajectory. The irony? Many data scientists and engineers who built these AI systems eventually found themselves out of a job. They never stopped to ask: "Why am I doing this? Who am I doing it for? What are the consequences?" And there's another critical aspect rarely discussed: How AI is being weaponized to destroy lives by those in po...

  This post struck a chord! Someone recently asked online what to do with substrate EC measurements from a commercial sensor . Folks chimed in with sensor brands, but no guidance on using the data. Data analysis is tougher than picking a sensor. It requires learning, experimentation, and experience - areas sensor companies can't help much with. Even their scientific collaborations might downplay sensor limitations to promote sales. So, what about that substrate EC sensor ? Let's break down substrate EC first. Substrate EC 101:  It reflects the overall electrical conductivity of your growing medium, including solids and water-filled pores. It's a general indicator of salt content. Pore Water EC: A Better Measure?  Absolutely! This refers to the electrical conductivity of the water in the pores, directly reflecting nutrients plant roots access. Unlike substrate EC, pore water EC isn't affected by soil disturbance. Why Not Just Measure Pore Water EC?  Current sensor tec...

  Imagine you've developed a versatile datalogger-controller using an Arduino board to monitor and control environmental conditions. This device can accept signals from a variety of sensors, including soil moisture, electrical conductivity, and pH sensors, and can control solenoid valves using a relay board. To add a layer of precision, the datalogger incorporates a GPS module to geotag sensor data during field installations. Now, let's say you've discovered a bug in the datalogger's firmware or wish to introduce new features. How would you rigorously test the updated device? While traditional methods like code reviews, unit tests, and field trials are valuable, they can be time-consuming and resource-intensive. To address this, I've adopted a Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) simulation approach, inspired by my experience with autopilot software testing. Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) simulation  is a testing technique where a real system or component is integrated with a sim...