Reverse engineering for electronic devices: temperature and soil moisture case

Abstract

The measurement of environmental variables turns out to be a wide field in which different techniques are used to capture the desired analog signals, all of the above in order to transform them and deliver them in such a way that their interpretation is clear. This article describes a research project, which was carried out for the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies IDEAM –Colombia–, where a reverse engineering methodology was implemented aimed at the application of proprietary technologies to generate a new device capable of measuring soil temperature and moisture, starting from the design of the electronic circuit and arriving at the simulation. All based on existing equipment for the identification of electronic components, performance curves, and input and output signals, this with the aim of conceptualizing and generating bases for the final design.