Increasing adoption of internet of things (IoT) technologies in agriculture necessitates reliable and scalable sensor networks for smart farming applications. This work proposes the design and evaluation of a relay-based multiplexer for IoT-enabled agricultural systems enhancing sensor interconnectivity while minimising input/output port requirements. To address limited connectivity and resource constraints commonly encountered in agricultural environments, the system employs cost-effective magnetic relay technology. Strategically placed relays enable seamless integration of a large number of spatially distributed sensors across extensive and challenging terrains. Adaptive sensor integration algorithms dynamically optimise data transmission channels, resulting in reduced energy consumption and improved network efficiency. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed multiplexer can connect and manage a significantly higher number of sensors, leading to enhanced data accuracy, real-time monitoring, and informed decision-making for precision agriculture. The system supports the connection of S × N homogeneous sensors, where S represents select lines and N denotes analog ports, enabling sensor scalability beyond the available input pins.
Padhy et al. (Thu,) studied this question.