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Download the full Syllabus.

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Course description:
          Introduction to basic concepts and applications of Internet of Things (IoT) technology in agriculture, and its impacts on farming and agricultural industry. Show-case of typical IoT systems used in farms, on farm equipment and in cloud. Hands on experience on essential IoT components, including hardware (wireless sensors, controllers, computers and network devices) and software.

Course Purpose:
          The farming and agricultural industry relies on innovative ideas and technological advancements to help increase yields and better allocate resources. Just like the impact of mechanical innovations in late 19th century and the 20th century on agriculture, IoT is a driving force behind increased agricultural production at a lower. IoT leaves the door wide open for engineers looking to bring a smart farming solution and has great potential to impact how individuals live and work by providing a source of innovative decision making. The design of the IoT, which is defined as “an internetwork of physical items – each embedded with sensors – that are connected to the Internet”, requires the understanding of embedded electronics, software, sensors, network, and data analytics. To prepare our students as forerunners of this future, this course will introduce a wide range of topics in the broad areas of IoT, and provide hands-on experiences via a series of exciting projects.

Course Objectives:
 At the close of the course students will be able to:
1. Understand how IoT technologies can be used in agriculture systems and affect an agriculture business;
2. Understand the concept of IoT systems and its major architecture and components;
3. Know typical IoT agricultural systems, understand the architecture and functionalities;
4. Understand how to collect and analyze data with IoT for precision agriculture systems and strategically store and share data for public access;
5. Know basic statistical tools that can be used to analyze the data collected in modern agriculture business.

Tentative lecture schedule:

Week	Topics	Assignment
Week 1	Course overview Special topic (1): An overview of IOT in agriculture: potential and challenge	Discussions: application of IoT in agriculture
Week 2	Architecture and components of a typical IoT system
Week 3	Feeling Things: typical sensors and sensor nodes used in Ag, such as weather, soil, air and crops
Week 4	Tag Things: technology available to tag things, such as RFID, bar code Acting Things: typical actuators in agricultural applications	Summarize the work principle of at least four sensors and discuss how they can be part of IoT.
Week 5	Thinking Things: embedded and single chip controllers	How to select controllers
Week 6	Connectivity and networks: wired and wireless technology
Week 7	Security Exam 1:	How to setup a server for IoT systems
Week 8	Conceptual design: Smart irrigation	Group discussion: smart irrigation system
Week 9	Guest lecture: Microsoft FarmBeats Sensors and microcontrollers
Week 10	Guest lecture: Dr. Calyam — Edge Computing for IoT-based Systems – Performance and Security Considerations IoT server setup
Week 11	Guest lecture: IOT America Special topic (2): IoT in field management
Week 12	Special topic (3): IoT in irrigation management
Week 13	Special topic (4): IoT in livestock management
Thanksgiving Break
Week 15	Guest lecture: AGCO Special topic (5): IoT in and smart field equipment	Course report: summarize the potential applications of IOT in your future work.
Week 16	Student Project Presentations
Finals	No class

Note: Schedule is subject to change.

Student project: No more three students will work on a topic.

Guest Speakers: Part of special topics will be covered by Visiting speakers from academic and industrial partners (for example Climate Fieldview, Farmoile, CropTrak, Topcon, Microsoft) who will be invited to share their perspective on the current state-of-the-art in the IoT industry.

Laboratory Activities, Fall Semester, 2019

	#	Lab	Subject
Week 1	1	Introduction	(1) IoT system overview. (2) Lab and equipment tour. (3) Lab requirement and rules
Week 2	2	Network devices (1)	Ethernet modem, router, switch, hub and connection; Ethernet cables
Week 3	3	Network devices (2)	Connection, setup and trouble shooting Ethernet cables, installation and maintenance
Week 4	4	Network devices (3)
Week 5	5	Manageable switches and Point to point setup (bridge)
Week 6	6	Security camera setup
Week 7	7	Field trip (1)	Data center
Week 8	8	Smart irrigation systems
Week 9	9	IoT system – sensors (T & RH sensor), controllers and data loggers (Pi and Arduino)
Week 10	10	IoT system – Wireless communication (node and gateway: LoRa/BT/ZigBee))
Week 11	11	Field trip (2)	TBD
Week 12	12	Special Lab: IoT America
Week 13	13	IoT system – IoT platform
Week 14	Fall break
Week 15	14	TBD
Week 16	15	Course project review
Finals		No lab

Note: Schedule is subject to change.