Internet of things system for ultraviolet index monitoring in the community of Chirinche Bajo

Abstract

The impact of the ultraviolet radiation index is becoming more intense and dangerous for the health of the epidermis and eyesight of people, especially for farmers in the Chirinche Bajo (Ecuador) community. Farmers are exposed to the intense sun during their work days in the crops, for this reason, a technological system based on the Internet of Things (IoT) was proposed to inform them of the UV index to which they are exposed and take precautions to go out to do their daily work. A monitoring device was developed and an application in the API of the Thinger.io platform to visualize and manage alarms. During the monitoring time, the system detected a UV index higher than 9 in the morning and afternoon hours (11am to 1pm), which according to the World Health Organization (WHO), is classified as very dangerous: it recommends wearing clothing that covers most of the body, sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses. In the community, the farmers use their traditional hat, which does not cover their faces optimally, and due to the lack of economy, they do not use sunscreen. The project is an initial contribution to create a culture of information and technological development in rural agricultural areas of Ecuador.