This week I was able to get the IR sensor wired up and working with a basic sketch. Right now it just reports the temperature in degrees C and F every second on the serial monitor. I tested it with different temperatures and it seems to work well.

Above left: the output from the IR sensor sketch. Above right: a basic layout for a possible casing for the sensor. I’m imagining it encased in a 3D printed tube with a cap. The tube would be the diameter of a soil corer. After a core sample is taken, the cap could be removed and the tube could be inserted into the soil to take a measurement. The IR sensor measures the temperature of a 90 degree view field.

I was also able to hook up the 5mw red laser with an on off switch over the break. I haven’t been able to test it out with a photo-resistor yet.

The PH and conductivity probes have so far been uncooperative with the UNO, but I am working on debugging the issue.