Digital Innovation for Reducing Water Consumption – Our Student's Development Earns Recognition
One of the most pressing challenges today is managing the issue of drought. At the same time, the rise of digital technologies is fundamentally transforming modern agriculture, as next-generation advancements are crucial for achieving more efficient and sustainable farming practices. Precise soil moisture indicators and data-driven irrigation systems not only reduce water consumption but also increase crop yields and protect environmental resources. This is precisely the goal of the project by Márton Simon, a student at the John von Neumann Faculty of Informatics, whose work has earned the professional special prize at the K&H STEM awards.
The young researcher's development combines sensor-based measurements with satellite data, and the positive impacts of this technology extend far beyond agriculture. More conscious water management also affects our daily lives; by reducing waste, we can preserve natural reserves, while precisely calculated irrigation contributes to food security. Through these data-driven systems, agriculture can adapt more successfully to extreme weather conditions, ensuring long-term sustainability.
The award-winning student’s project is based on the integration of a hardware sensor unit and a software platform. The device measures soil moisture levels at regular intervals, and the data is displayed on an online interface, where it is supplemented by satellite observations, such as indicators reflecting vegetation health. This provides farmers with a detailed and accurate picture of the current state of their land, offering a reliable foundation for irrigation decisions. One of the system's greatest advantages lies in its unique network architecture; the sensors do not rely on traditional cellular IoT technology, but rather use a specialized radio solution. Thanks to this, a single central unit can cover an area with a radius of up to 10–20 kilometers, meaning that in practice, the network functions flawlessly even in isolated agricultural regions completely lacking cellular coverage. The project is a prototype of a working soil moisture sensor and data platform, offering tangible assistance to farmers in cutting costs and water consumption, while making agricultural processes more environmentally friendly.
The award-winning student’s project is based on the integration of a hardware sensor unit and a software platform. The device measures soil moisture levels at regular intervals, and the data is displayed on an online interface, where it is supplemented by satellite observations, such as indicators reflecting vegetation health. This provides farmers with a detailed and accurate picture of the current state of their land, offering a reliable foundation for irrigation decisions. One of the system's greatest advantages lies in its unique network architecture; the sensors do not rely on traditional cellular IoT technology, but rather use a specialized radio solution. Thanks to this, a single central unit can cover an area with a radius of up to 10–20 kilometers, meaning that in practice, the network functions flawlessly even in isolated agricultural regions completely lacking cellular coverage. The project is a prototype of a working soil moisture sensor and data platform, offering tangible assistance to farmers in cutting costs and water consumption, while making agricultural processes more environmentally friendly.
