Nasser et al. (2025) Design of an Irrigation System Using Infrared Lasers

Identification

• Journal: EJSMT
• Year: 2025
• Date: 2025-12-09
• Authors: Dhuha Dhiaa Nasser, Abdul Rahim Hussein, Zahraa Jafeer Jomha, Baneen Awad Mousa
• DOI: 10.59324/ejsmt.2025.1(6).23

Research Groups

• Department of Laser Engineering and Optoelectronics, Al_Kut University College, Iraq

Short Summary

This paper designs and develops a smart irrigation system that uses infrared laser detection for non-contact soil moisture assessment, automating irrigation and providing GSM-based alerts. The system demonstrates over 95% accuracy in moisture detection and a 1.2-second response time, supporting efficient water management and sustainable farming.

Objective

• To design and develop a smart irrigation monitoring system that utilizes infrared (IR) laser detection for non-contact soil moisture assessment, automates irrigation based on soil conditions, and provides remote alert notifications via a GSM communication module.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Non-contact detection range up to 20 meters. Experimental testing conducted at distances ranging from 1 centimeter to 20 meters.
• Temporal Scale: System responsiveness (from moisture detection to pump activation) is under 1.2 seconds.

Methodology and Data

• Models used:
  • Lambert-Beer’s Law (𝐼 = 𝐼0𝑒−𝛼·𝑑) for explaining IR interaction with soil moisture.
  • Empirical polynomial regression model (𝑉𝑊𝐶 = 𝑎 · 𝑅2 + 𝑏 · 𝑅 + 𝑐) for relating Normalized Reflectance (R) to Volumetric Water Content (VWC).
  • Sensor response model (𝑆 = 𝐺 · 𝐼0𝑒−𝛼·𝑑) for photodiode output.
• Data sources:
  • Experimental measurements from an infrared laser diode (850 nanometers, 5 milliwatts) and a photodiode sensor.
  • Data collected under controlled soil moisture conditions (dry, moist, wet) for sensor calibration.
  • Measurements of photodetector power at various distances (1 centimeter to 20 meters) from the laser source.

Main Results

• The system accurately detects soil moisture changes with over 95% accuracy.
• The automated alert mechanism responds within 1.2 seconds of moisture change detection.
• The non-contact laser-based sensing approach provides low-maintenance operation with a detection range up to 20 meters.
• Wireless signal transmission demonstrated high efficiency with minimal signal attenuation up to 5 meters.
• Communication remains viable at distances up to 20 meters, though precise alignment and potential recalibration are required beyond 5 meters.
• Photodetector power decreased from 0.61 milliwatts at 1 centimeter to 0.21 milliwatts at 20 meters, aligning with theoretical optical attenuation.
• The system is optimized for low power usage, drawing a peak current of 310 milliamperes (approximately 3.7 watts), making it suitable for solar or battery-powered field deployment.
• The accuracy of the IR-based sensing technique showed a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of less than ±2.5% in distinguishing soil conditions.

Contributions

• Introduces a novel non-contact, energy-efficient smart irrigation system utilizing infrared laser detection for real-time soil moisture assessment, eliminating the need for invasive probes.
• Integrates wireless GSM communication for remote monitoring and automated alert functionalities, significantly enhancing water management practices and reducing labor demands in agriculture.
• Demonstrates high accuracy (over 95%) and rapid responsiveness (under 1.2 seconds) of a laser-based sensing approach for precision agriculture.
• Provides a modular and scalable design suitable for integration with cloud-based IoT systems and deployment across larger agricultural areas, supporting sustainable smart farming systems.

Funding

Not explicitly stated in the provided paper text.

Citation

@article{Nasser2025Design,
  author = {Nasser, Dhuha Dhiaa and Hussein, Abdul Rahim and Jomha, Zahraa Jafeer and Mousa, Baneen Awad},
  title = {Design of an Irrigation System Using Infrared Lasers},
  journal = {EJSMT},
  year = {2025},
  doi = {10.59324/ejsmt.2025.1(6).23},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.59324/ejsmt.2025.1(6).23}
}