Professor Balthazar

  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...