Review Article

Applications of Smartphone-Based Sensors in Agriculture: A Systematic Review of Research

Table 1

Common smartphone sensors [11, 12].

Sensor Description Common uses

Accelerometer Measures the acceleration force in m/s2 that is applied to each of the three physical axes (, , and ) of a device (including gravity) Detects motion and senses the changes in smartphones’ orientation

Ambient temperature sensor Measures the ambient room temperature in degrees Celsius (°C) Monitors air temperatures

Gyroscope Measures a device’s rate of rotation in rad/s around each of the three physical axes (, , and ) Detects rotation (spin, turn, etc.)

Light sensor Measures the ambient light level (illumination) in lx Controls screen brightness

Magnetometer Measures the ambient geomagnetic field for all three physical axes (, , and ) in μT Creates a compass

Barometer Measures the ambient air pressure in hPa or mbar Monitors air pressure changes

Proximity sensor Measures the proximity of an object in cm relative to the view screen of a device Detects if the phone is held up to a person’s ear during a call

Humidity sensor Measures the humidity of ambient environment in percent (%) Monitors dewpoint and absolute and relative humidity

Global Positioning System Measures the latitude and longitude of the current location of the device Uses a user’s location to show the nearby information

Image sensor (camera) Records images and videos Captures still picture or video

Audio sensor (microphone) Measures sound in air into an electrical signal Records voices

Fingerprint identity sensor Reads a user’s fingerprint Identifies a user through touching

Moisture sensor Identifies whether the device has been submerged in water Detects if a device has internal water damage