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The Arable Mark 2 is an all-in-one weather station, crop monitor and irrigation management device. The device installs in minutes, deploys with the push of a button, and requires no maintenance. Able to synthesize climate and crop data, the solar-powered device allows users to gather actionable insights for their crops in all growing conditions. Data observed would then be combined with historical data to deliver Point Forecasting – a unique machine-learning algorithm for accuracy, which then provides daily predictions.

 

 

Features of the Arable Mark 2

The Arable Mark 2 has a full sensor suite which delivers more than 40 climate and plant metrics. This includes Temperature, Humidity, Pressure Solar Radiation, Precipitation, Daily Evapotranspiration (ETc), Chlorophyll Index, NDVI and more. It can tell from looking down at the crop if it needs fertilizer or water, and it detects the presence of rain, temperature changes, solar radiation, and what is happening in the soil. It also has increased sensor accuracy and expanded cellular connectivity compared to its original, not mentioning extended battery life and a protective UV coating to withstand harsh conditions.

It is also able to capture scientific-quality measurements across locations with the only platform to combine meteorological and plant data in one place.

After data is collected, users are able to access their real-time field data easily using their mobile phones, on a website and API with Arable’s intuitive, user-friendly software platform. These data collected is then combined with a previous data. Then, using a highly accurate machine learning algorithm, the platform provides hourly and daily predictions up to 30 hours or 10 days ahead. Covering 12 climate zones, Arable’s global network of 30 calibration-validation sites ensures the Point Forecasting provides accurate and reliable data for each user’s needs.

 

Installation and Maintenance

Simply use a metal pole and add the Mark 2 above to ensure it is in optimum height, then check that the sensors on the bottom of the device are pointing north. Firmly press the top button on the Mark 2 for 3 seconds to initiate deployment. Blinking blue lights shows the device is connecting. After a few minutes, all four lights around the Arable logo with illuminate green, meaning the deployment sequence is complete.

To maintain healthy charging potential, simply use a clean cloth to wipe the solar panel of the Mark 2 of any dust or debris.

 

HD STORY N°5 - ARABLE MARK TOP DOME CORE

 

In other words, the Arable Mark 2 is a device that offers an integrated analytics platform with weather monitoring and plant health data all under one roof. It provides straightforward, plant-based measurements that are relevant to each individual users, allowing them to make informed decisions with unprecedented ground-truth accuracy, delivered in real time.

 

Pros

The Arable Mark 2 is a convenient and effective device for farmers and crop owners and also would be useful for the Singapore government’s plans to do urban farming (planting vegetables and other food crops on rooftops of HDBs). Since crop farmers have to take care of large and wide piece of lands, sometimes in varying places, the Arable Mark 2 allows them to be able to monitor their crops easily, and make changes or take precautions based on the paired predictive analysis software. Thus, this would aid them greatly in ensuring they reap good yields from their crops, as the software would provide insights on actions to take to ensure their crops grow healthily.

Since the Mark 2 is an all-in-one device, users also need not buy an array of different sensors to check on their crops. Instead, just this single device helps them to get all the data they require. This helps them to save the problem of having too many sensors to check, or too many regions to check.

Its easy deployment and low maintenance also adds to the convenience for the users, and the device’s strong coating allows it to pull through different environments, letting the users save time and efforts to clean these individual sensors.

The device being able to show real time information also is a good feature as the users will thus be able to take immediate action should any unexpected changes or situation occurs. Rather than only realizing possible problems later, real-time data can help with finding out the root of potential problems immediately.

 

Cons

The device is attached to a single pole which is stuck into the ground, and thus, I would raise the question of whether heavy winds and rain may potentially shift the device out of alignment. As mentioned in the Installation segment, the sensors on the bottom should be facing north for accurate data collection. However, strong winds may easily change this.

Another thing is this device system is highly dependent on cellular network and thus would not function in areas where signals and networks cannot reach. If the network in a particular area is bad, it may also potentially affect the data collected and cause inaccuracy.

 

Sources

Arable – Decision Agriculture

Arable Mark 2

https://agtechfinder.com/directory/d3ag/arable-mark-2

Arable launches a new generation of IoT tools for data-driven farming

https://www.newsbreak.com/news/1524900434442/arable-launches-new-mark-2-sensor-to-monitor-climate-and-plant-conditions-on-farms

What Arable learned bringing the IoT to farmers