Girth Measuring Device and System based on RFID/WSN Technology in Rubber Plantation: A Preliminary Data

This paper describes the performance of an automated girth measuring device (GMD) using RFID/WSN technologies in monitoring tree circumference and population in rubber plantations. For this study, GMDs together with RFID tags were installed on rubber tree trunks at different stages of the rubber tree development. Information from both devices were gathered wirelessly by a reader before being transferred to the Rubber Management System (RMS) software for data analysis. In addition, GMD performance was compared with data manually measured by using the conventional system and its reading distance was also determined. The GMD measurements are statistically the same as the manual measurements (P > 0.05) with an average error value of below 0.1cm. There is a decreasing pattern of error values as the girth of the trunk increases. Meanwhile, an average read range radius of 85 metres was recorded.