FarmBeats: Microsoft and Seeed Partnered to Democratize Technology for Agriculture
As agriculture has historically been a key factor in the development of human society, many solutions and innovations have been dedicated to apply cutting edge technologies to advance farming. Microsoft’s FarmBeats solution, an AI and IoT platform for farmers originated from Microsoft Research, is one of these solutions designed to increase farm productivity, and reduce costs. Seeed, the IoT Hardware Enabler based in Shenzhen announced a partnership to work together with Microsoft to develop the hardware for the FarmBeats solution.
FarmBeats sensor box sample @ exhibition
As part of this partnership, Seeed has been developing a Sensor Box for FarmBeats solution that collects environmental data of the farm. The sensor box features 8 different sensors that collect real-time data of factors that may affect the growth of the crops during cultivation processes, including wind speed, wind direction, soil moisture & temperature, CO2, atmospheric moisture & temperature, atmospheric pressure, rain and light exposure.
FarmBeats sensor box sample @ Seeed office
The data collected by the sensors will be gathered at an IoT Base Station, and sent by TVWS to the FarmBeats gateway (a Windows PC) and eventually to the Azure Cloud, and is made accessible to farmers all over the world on the FarmBeats app.
Figure credit: Microsoft FarmBeats
“We’re excited to partner with Microsoft to bring the our IoT hardware development to the Microsoft solution,” said Shuyang Zhou, Director of Strategic Partnership at Seeed, “From the first 1 prototype to scale, we integrate a sustainable sensing system to collect data. We do think the FarmBeats platform could put forward the development of data-driven agriculture.”
Zerina Kapetanovic, FarmBeats hardware researcher, checks the FarmBeats ground sensors at Dancing Crow Farm. (Photo by Michael Victor)
The first version of the FarmBeats solution has been deployed to farmlands of the Microsoft’s POC (Proof of Concept) partners. Seeed has been working on an upgraded version sensor box based on the feedbacks collected.
About Seeed
Seeed is the IoT hardware enabler providing services that empower makers to realize their projects and products. By partnering with technology providers from hardware to the cloud, Seeed offers a wide array of hardware platforms and sensor modules ready to be integrated with existing IoT platforms. With Shenzhen’s extensive and flexible supply chain, Seeed also offers customization and agile manufacturing services, ranging from a single unit to over 10,000 units. Seeed serves the global market from its headquarter in Shenzhen, China, with branch offices in the US and Japan.
About Author
