Towards Microbial Fuel Cell Powered Backscatter Tags for Low-Cost In-Ground Soil Moisture Sensing

This poster presents Water Radar (WaDAR), a soil moisture sensing system that aims to harness energy from soil microbial fuel cells (SMFCs). Using SMFCs, WaDAR will offer a low-cost, energy-efficient alternative to traditional soil moisture sensors. Lab testing results demonstrate an average soil moisture measurement error of just 2.7%, comparable to more expensive capacitive commercial sensors. This combination of affordability, accuracy and energy efficiency suggests that SMFC energy harvesting could help facilitate the widespread adoption of soil moisture sensors in agriculture, leading to significant water conservation and promoting sustainable farming practices.