The objective of this project is a remote moisture sensor for an automated irrigation system that maintains a thin layer of nutrient solution on a surface occupied by the roots of plants growing in space. Electrically isolated from the root system, the sensor is laminated into the surface and measures the thickness of the nutrient layer. The technical problems attending the growth of plants in space require some form of irrigation control, and this project should provide a degree of accuracy unobtainable by other methods. The sensor operates by continuously measuring the dielectric properties of material adjacent to the sensor. The high-frequency response of the sensor is correlated to a database that is programmed into the software of the monitor. The versatility of this technique allows for the possibility of measuring other process variables in addition to the moisture content of the plant-growth surface.
Potential Commercial Applications: A device for sensing moisture could apply to control of irrigation and other agricultural processes on earth. A thin-layer sensor could have applications in non-destructive testing in a wide variety of fields, including composite engineering and semiconductor processing.STATUS: Project Proceded to Phase II
