The project involves the implementation of data collection and communication technologies

The project involves the implementation of data collection and communication technologies to address the problem of food loss, vital for developing countries such as India and Brazil, due to inadequate grain storage and quality monitoring methods. With the proper resources, smallholder farmers in developing countries would be able to analytically show the quality their product, reducing loss and giving farmers the ability to adjust the price of the product based on its quality.

This kit will be developed to automatically collect and transmit testing data on corn quality. The only similar type of test kits are for rice and are manually conducted with handwritten documentation of the results. This test kit shall contain electronic sensor systems and methods equipped with data recording capabilities for measuring grain quality. It will also include documented specifications for conducting the tests that are easy to follow for farmers in developing countries. The kit will enable field testing and automated transmission of the result data to a local university for tracking and analysis, making for a more efficient and reliable system.

The kit will be in the form of a portable battery powered handheld device approximately the size of a quart cup. The device will have a display as well as three selection button. In addition it will have an SD card slot to store the result data and a GSM module to wirelessly transmit the results to an on-line portal. The quality measurement device will measure three distinct values related to the quality of the corn: equilibrium moisture content, density and impurities.

The equilibrium moisture content is critical in determining if the corn has been dried and sored properly. If not within the acceptable range, the corn becomes highly susceptible to mold growth as well as insect damage. To measure the equilibrium moisture content, the temperature and humidity of an insulated sample will be taken. The final value will be calculated using theHailwood-Horrobin equation.

The density shows how much damage the corn has sustained from mold and insects. If the corn does not meet a certain density it is not of proper substance and is significantly less valuable. The density of the corn will be calculated by filling a one quart cup full of corn and taking it's weight. This is also known as the test weight.

The purity of the corn is also large factor in determining corn quality. Chipped or broken kernels are more susceptible to mold as well as dirt ans other small particles indicates a degradation in the quality of the corn. Two sieve, a 12/64" and a 8/64", will be used to separate the sample. On top will sit the intact kernels, in the middle broken or chipped pieces of the kernels and on the bottom any other matter within the sample. Once sieved, the weight of each layer will be taken.
All of the IO in the device will be handled by a micro-controller. It is also responsible for properly recording, storing and sending all of the result data from the three tests. 

Benefits to the End User
- Provide a simple, reliable, cost-effective way to analytically measure the product
- Support increased revenue in correspondence with grain quality standards
- Increased efficiency due to automated and electronic methods of assessment
- Provide the means to store and display data to the user and send to local teams for feedback

Product Features
- Accurate measurements for the sample's equilibrium moisture content, density and impurity
- Automatically record and store data on the device
- Wirelessly transmit data using GSM
- Battery powered, rechargeable
- Durable and waterproof