What exactly goes on in a plant's root zone is still a mystery to many. Yet as a grower, it is essential to know what is happening in the substrate or soil. According to Sense NL, detailed and reliable data on EC, water content, and temperature can be used to optimize irrigation and fertilization strategies and take the crop to the next level.
Winelis Kavelaars with the Modbus
SenseNL's CARA MET sensors give growers insight into the root zone. The company is working with several companies in the industry to link the sensors to climate computers. "This can be done in the cloud via an API," explains Winelis Kavelaars. "Some companies would like to use our sensors but find the cloud too risky and opt for the well-known wired connection."
Also, some suppliers of legacy climate computers do not support modern API connections and can only read sensor data via a Modbus interface.
SenseNL has listened carefully to its customers and has developed a Modbus controller so that its sensors can now be connected to any climate computer. "Every grower wants to know what the situation is in the root zone, and by making the last bit wired, we can accommodate a larger group of growers with the desire to track our sensor data in their own climate computer."
The new Modbus controller is ready to be rolled out soon. The first tests are already running and will soon be demonstrated extensively at TomatoWorld with a Hoogendoorn climate computer.
But SenseNL's CARA MET sensors can also be paired with Argus, Priva, Sercom or Ridder climate computers. "And then the plan is to bring it to the market before the summer," he says.
"Also interesting to mention, the CARA MET sensors are also currently being linked to several data-driven platforms specializing in autonomous growing."
For more information:
SenseNL BV 
Ambachtsweg 41F
2641KT Pijnacker
Tel.: +31 (0)85 876 89 09
www.sensenl.com