Researchers Drive Smarter Farming

New System Focuses on Real-time Water, Nitrogen Monitoring

By Matt Sax

A new research initiative led by Florida Atlantic University is aiming to change the future of farming by using real-time technology to help farmers grow more while wasting less.

The project will develop a high-tech smart agriculture system that uses computing, machine learning and advanced sensors to monitor how water and nitrogen impact crop health.

Managing water and nitrogen efficiently presents a unique challenge for agriculture, since both are essential but can become wasteful or harmful if handled poorly. The FogAg system seeks to fill a gap left by current tools, many of which can’t respond quickly enough to changing conditions in the field, through the incorporation of machine learning and predictive modeling.

Backed by a $827,533 grant from the USDA, Florida Atlantic is collaborating to bring the system to life.

“By capturing and analyzing the nuanced interactions between water and nitrogen stressors, we aim to not only increase crop yield and quality but also reduce the environmental impact of modern agriculture,” said Arslan Munir, Ph.D., College of Engineering and Computer Science.

Read the press release.

For more information, email dorcommunications@fau.edu to connect with the Research Communication team.