Development of a digital spring-based weight sensor for monitoring beehive weight

Abstract

The major problem facing apiculture due to climate change and unpredictable honey harvesting seasons is low honey yield. The main cause of low honey harvests is uncertain harvesting, particularly when beekeepers delay harvesting honey or disturb the hive to determine when it is ripe to harvest. Beehive weight is monitored in modern apiculture to evaluate the bee colony's health and the honey's status, helping beekeepers harvest at the optimum time. However, in low-income communities where many beekeepers reside, strain gauge load cell-equipped smart beehives performing this purpose are out of reach due to their high cost which is 85,000 Tanzanian shillings (TZS) per unit. This study developed and evaluated a cost-effective (50,000 TZS per unit) and dependable solution, the Digital Spring-Based (DSB) weight sensor which can serve remote hive weight monitoring at a minimal cost compared to a strain gauge weight sensor. DSB weight sensor was devised by spring weight scale, a microcontroller, fixed resistors, and a sliding potentiometer (variable resistor). They underwent rigorous evaluation and demonstrated a quantitation range from 4 to 24 kg in the calibration graph with a linearity having adjusted R-square of 0.997 then tested to beehives and capable of monitoring the beehive weights. In the beginning, the hive weight was 7 kg and reached 21 kg when filled with ripe honey which is ready for harvest. These evaluated metrics are useful in validating the performance of DSB weight sensors in beehive weight monitoring as a key parameter to gauge honey harvesting time. Moreover, the developed DSB weight sensor seamlessly connects with communication modules, facilitating effortless remote weight monitoring.