Grape Networks Enhances Its Vineyard Monitoring System

SAN RAMON, CA /BUSINESS WIRE/ -- Grape Networks announced that it will be adding soil-moisture sensors to its system, which already includes light, temperature, and humidity sensing devices. The system will provide the exact location of the sensor modules and critical vineyard and wine grape information on powdery mildew and degree days in the vineyard. The sensor modules are mobile and are buried next to the wine producing grapes. The vineyard operations' manager can view the data on any Web-enabled cellular phone or PC, and can set the threshold values for alerts over the Internet or via email or short message service. The soil-moisture sensors are capacitance sensors and are not affected in extreme dry conditions. The sensor modules can accommodate up to three soil moisture sensors at various depths, from 6 in. to 14 ft. A complete system of 15 modules and up to 75 sensors cost approximately the same price as two high-end weather stations.

Grape Networks has developed the Climate Genie, which uses the Internet, database management software, intelligent machines, low-power radios, and very small sensors (MEMS). With Grape Networks' Climate Genie, vineyards and wine grapes can be monitored on a much finer level than even today's precision agriculture techniques. Grape Networks data from the sensor modules are summarized within the network and sent via WI-FI, cellular, or satellite to the Internet to servers for viewing anywhere in the world via a Web browser or Internet-enabled cell phone.

About Grape Networks
Headquarted in San Ramon, CA, Grape Networks Inc. is a pioneer in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) service, deployment, and infrastructure for vineyards and wine-producing grapes. Its management team has extensive experience and expertise in the development of WSN technology. The company has partnerships with a number of the worlds' foremost authorities on wireless mesh sensor networks, platforms, applications, viticulture, and MEMS sensors. For more information, please call Peter Tsepeleff at 925-830-1698.