Special report: The Internet of Things for Precision Agriculture (IoT4Ag)

Abstract

• IoT4Ag Engineering Research Center established on September 1, 2020. • IoT sense-communication-response systems to optimize practices for every plant. • Sensors, robotics, and energy and communication devices to data-driven models. • Training an educated and diverse workforce. • Addressing the societal grand challenge of food, energy, and water security. The National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Research Center (ERC) for the Internet of Things for Precision Agriculture (IoT4Ag) was established on September 1, 2020 and launched its collaborative programs across the four NSF ERC pillars of convergent research , engineering workforce development , diversity and culture of inclusion , and innovation ecosystem . IoT4Ag unites an interdisciplinary cadre of faculty and students from the University of Pennsylvania, Purdue University, the University of California-Merced, and the University of Florida, with partners in education, government, industry, and the end-user farming community. The IoT4Ag mission is to create and translate to practice Internet of Things (IoT) technologies for precision agriculture and to train an educated and diverse workforce that will address the societal grand challenge of food, energy, and water security for decades to come .