Sistema embarcado associado a arquitetura web para aferição da pesagem no processo de colheita da laranja

Abstract

Manual orange harvesting in Brazil still relies on imprecise and subjective weighing procedures, which directly affect workers’ payment and their perception of fairness in the workplace. This study presents the development of an embedded system for weighing and traceability in orange harvesting, aimed at automating the measurement of big bags and individually identifying workers by means of RFID technology. The prototype comprises two main modules: the Scale Module, responsible for acquiring the weight through a load cell and linking it to the worker’s RFID card, and the Tractor Operator Module, which receives the data via LoRa communication, provides an interactive user interface, stores the measurements on an SD card, prints physical receipts and sends records to a database. The methodology followed product development principles, with an iterative process involving proof-of-concept construction, hardware and firmware integration, design of dedicated printed circuit boards and laboratory and field tests during real harvesting operations. The results show that the system is technically feasible, operating stably in the field, with robust communication between modules and reliable traceability of the harvested weight per worker. The validations carried out place the prototype at an intermediate technological readiness level, opening perspectives for its evolution into a commercial product that contributes to the modernization of the citrus supply chain and to more transparent working relations in orange harvesting.