Arable Labs Inc. pioneered data-driven land management, and now they’re continuing forward with ground-breaking Pulsepod. This solar powered IoT device offeres advanced sensing technology; a six band spectrometer, 4-way net radiometer and advanced acoustic rain gauge. Together, these tool provide complete, in-field monitoring, measuring 40 observation streams. Pulsepod can sense rain, hail, canopy leaf area, crop water demand, environmental stresses, microclimate, even air pollution.
The device also comes with cellular (2G/3G), wifi and bluetooth for connectivity and can accommodate an accessory port for soil moisture, irrigation pressure, or other user-supplied devices. An onboard GPS links information to weather, soil and satellite imagery.
“We’re at the very beginning of a major transition in how agriculture uses data,” said Dr. Adam Wolf, CEO of Arable. “Thirty years ago it was all about how to grow more crops with less inputs, but now we’re in an era where we’re empowering people to manage complex natural resources with precision. What farms need are facts on the ground to make better decisions in the face of dynamic risk. Imagine if you ran a restaurant and didn’t know how many chefs would show up for work — you wouldn’t know to plan or manage effectively. We believe Pulsepod has the potential to transform agriculture through certainty.”
Pulsepod comes at a time of heightened concern on how to adapt to climate change. The World Food Program expects extreme weather events like droughts, fires, and storms to endanger food security for billions of people. By 2050, crop yields in Asia are expected to fall by as much as 50% for wheat and 17% for rice compared to 2000 levels. Research has identified a diverse array of tools for adaptation in the face of unexpected events, including agronomic practices, market hedges, and insurance, but critically these depend having current information to act, and strategies how to use this information.
Pulsepod helps a variety of industry members manage risk. Agriculture lenders can monitor risk exposure through prediction of seasonal yield. Crop Insurance agents can capture baseline data and reduce basis risk. Disaster Management offices can target resources where they’re most needed, and Natural Resource Management can reduce regulatory risk and maximize economic activity.
Preorders can be made now for summer/fall 2016 shipment. The pilot version of the Pulsepod is $500. The first launch of the product will include three different mounting configurations, vertical stake, center pivot and pole mounted.