Open scientific instruments
Soil Health Monitoring Kit
This kit is a work in progress. It integrates several of the open tools and protocols presented below into a shared workflow: chromatography, colorimetry, pH and electrical conductivity, soil respiration, incubation, aggregate stability and data recording.
The Kit page brings together current documentation, bills of materials, methods and development status. The historical records below are retained because they document the process, prototypes and previous implementations.
Current documentation: when a tool is part of the Kit, the newest version of its method, assembly and materials is collected in the manual linked from the Kit page. The records below remain available as background and for tools that still have separate documentation.
Existing tools and information
tools and methods portfolio
open science hardware
Conductimeter
General aspects:
- Measures conductivity (μS/cm) in a water solution
- Develped by CoSensores
- Works with a standard electrode
- Fully documented and tested.
To do:
- document a soil testing protocol in a soil/water mixture
Gitlab Repo: https://gitlab.com/cosensores/conductimetro
Colorimeter
General aspects:
- Can be used for several colorimetric methods by choosing the right led/wavelenght
- Derivated from the original IO Rodeo version
- Tested methods:
- Nitrates in water with Hach NitraVer5
- Active carbon in soil following Smallholder soil health assessment
To do:
- finish device documentation
- document active carbon test results and procedure. This is already happening thanks to Fabricio Cano thesis
- implement avaliable phosphorous test for soils
Gitlab Repo: https://gitlab.fcen.uncu.edu.ar/regosh/colorimetro-regosh
pHmeter
General aspects:
- Based on DfRobot libraries.
- Co-developed with CoSensores
- Two versions:
- Mobile (bluetooth and Android App)
- Lab bench (only one button for calibration)
To do:
- finish device documentation
- document a soil testing protocol in a soil/water mixture
- rewrite phmeter library for more clarity
Gitlab Repo: https://gitlab.fcen.uncu.edu.ar/regosh/phmetro-v2.0
Reflectometer
General aspects:
- Developed by Our-Sci LLC
- Uses LED-supplied light sources at ten different wavelengths
- Tested locally for soil carbon prediction
To do:
- improve the soil carbon model running a lot more samples
Soil microscopy
General aspects:
- We are using OpenFlexure microscopes to look at soil microbiology
- In the context of UROS project we helped in the design and translation of a Short guide to soil microcopy
- We were part of OpenFlexureCon 2022
- Is a great tool to “reanimate soils” in their imaginay and affective dimensions!!!
To do:
- we need to work on a protocol for quantification
- we want to make to make an hybrid between the Matchboxscope cam and the OpenFlexure motion
Gitlab Repo: https://gitlab.fcen.uncu.edu.ar/regosh/openflexure
Flickr: 2021 Workshop
Soil respiration
General aspects:
- Simple low-cost version (Arduino version)
- Fully documented as a result of Open Hardware Makers mentoring
- Several sensors tested and prototypeof a more more advanced version (FeatherS2/ESP32version) in the context of UROS project
To do:
- assemble and test Our-Sci soil respiration device
- develop protocols for lab and field testing
Gitlab Repo: https://gitlab.com/nanocastro/camara-respiracion-suelo
Circular soil chromatography
General aspects:
- Biodinamic method with great potential for introductory workshops on soiland its complexity
- No electronics 🙂
- In the context of UROS project we helped in the writing, design and translation of a Short guide to circular soil chromatography
- Kit and documentation ready and distributed
- Used by other organizations to replicate workshops
To do:
- protocol to digitalize chromas
Website: https://www.hackteria.org/wiki/Circular_Chromatography
