One thing I learned when leaving sensors “in-situ” or “in-place” is its very very easy to get dirty..yes, very dirty data due to fouling. How long can the sensors provide accurate data when exposed to the environment for long periods?. Knowing when to perform maintenance on sensors is a crucial work to start off. Heard of the phrase “who is monitoring the monitoring”.. yeah, you tell me. Ensuring the durability of the sensors is one thing but “durability” depends on the environment where these devices are placed and kept at long periods of time. In xFarm, we have been testing a number of sensors to its limits. Enter the Pill V1 and V2, a sensor array enclosure that both aims to prolong the sensor data accuracy by protecting the sensor itself and its components from the elements. Salt water is harsh and it tends to bio-foul even the toughest of sensors in matter of hours. A number of anti bio-fouling techniques is being tested, from chemical to physical. How long the endurance and how long data will be accurate enough to employ software correction or noise-reduction.
The pictures above shows the Pill-V2 design to protect sensors from harsh environments and to help prolong sensor data accuracy.