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What the VitalSensor and the Scale measure

Plan: Apisense PRO AI

The VitalSensor measures the conditions inside the hive: temperature, humidity, pressure and the composition of the air. The Scale measures the hive weight and the temperature outside the hive. Both devices send data through the Hub to the app.

What the VitalSensor measures

The VitalSensor is inside the hive, vertical on a brood frame, best in the centre of the brood nest or next to the centre.

The VitalSensor measures:

  • the temperature inside the hive,
  • the humidity inside the hive,
  • the pressure inside the hive,
  • volatile organic compounds in the hive air (VOC) and NOx,
  • the sound of the colony: the VitalSensor has a microphone and records a short sound sample one time each day. The VitalSensor does not record all the time.

In the app, the VitalSensor shows these values: Inside hive temperature, Humidity and Pressure. The app does not show VOC, NOx and sound as numbers. The colony health assessment and the disease alert come from the hive air measurements (VOC).

What the Scale measures

The Scale is under the hive. The Scale measures:

  • the weight of the full hive: the colony, the stores, the boxes and the equipment,
  • the outside temperature, near the hive.

In the app, the Scale shows the Weight card and the Outside temperature row in the Conditions card. The Scale measures the hive weight, not only the quantity of honey.

The pressure in the app is lower than in the weather forecast

The VitalSensor measures the absolute pressure at the place where the hive stands. The app does not convert it to sea level. A weather forecast gives the pressure converted to sea level. This is why the VitalSensor reading is lower than in the forecast. The higher the apiary is, the larger the difference. This is not a VitalSensor error. The app also gives this explanation under the ⓘ icon next to the pressure reading.

How frequently the devices measure and when the data is in the app

The VitalSensor and the Scale measure at regular intervals. We set how frequently the devices measure and send data, and this can change.

The data goes this way: VitalSensor or Scale → Bluetooth → Hub → mobile network (LTE) → server → app. The Hub sends data during a synchronisation, not after each measurement. This is why the newest measurement can come to the app with a delay.

Where to see the measurements

  1. Open the hive screen.
  2. Select the Hive state tab.
  3. The readings are in the Weight and Conditions cards. Tap a row to see the chart.

Good to know

  • The Weight and Conditions cards are only in the Pro AI plan. In the AI plan, the Hive state tab does not show data from the devices.
  • The VitalSensor and the Scale work only in an apiary with a Hub.
  • The VitalSensor and the Scale each use 2 alkaline AA batteries.

See also