Augmented Reality in the Integrative Internet of Things (AR-IoT): Application for Precision Farming

Benefitted by the Internet of Things (IoT), visualization capabilities facilitate the improvement of precision farming, especially in dynamic indoor planting. However, conventional IoT data visualization is usually carried out in offsite and textual environments, i.e., text and number, which do not promote a user's sensorial perception and interaction. This paper introduces the use of augmented reality (AR) as a support to IoT data visualization, called AR-IoT. The AR-IoT system superimposes IoT data directly onto real-world objects and enhances object interaction. As a case study, this system is applied to crop monitoring. Multi-camera, a non-destructive and low-cost imaging platform of the IoT, is connected to the internet and integrated into the system to measure the three-dimensional (3D) coordinates of objects. The relationships among accuracy, object coordinates, augmented information (e.g., virtual objects), and object interaction are investigated. The proposed system shows a great potential to integrate IoT data with AR resolution, which will effectively contribute to updating precision agricultural techniques in an environmentally sustainable manner.