Abstract: A soil measurement probe (21) includes a window (38) mounted in an opening (40) in the outer surface (34) of the probe, a light source (42) disposed within the probe and directed toward the window for illuminating the soil in situ, with light of wavelengths corresponding to the colors red, blue and green, in succession. A photo-detector (44) disposed within the probe is directed toward the window, the photo-detector responsive to light of each of the first and second wavelengths as reflected from the soil in situ. The probe is useful for measuring the color of the soil as an R-G-B measurement. Other soil parameters are obtained by correlation with soil color.

Abstract: An overmolded electronic assembly (900, 1000, 1200) is fabricated from one or more overmoldable interface components (300, 400, 500, 1220, 1750) that may be electrical contacts or electronic components that have physical interfaces, such as speakers or sensors. The overmoldable interface components have a sacrificial end that is cut off from the remainder of the overmoldable interface components after being overmolded in an electronic assembly, providing a sealed cavity into the overmolded electronic assembly.

Abstract: Methods of characterizing subsurface conditions in a selected geographic region previously associated as a whole with a specific subsurface material characteristic reference profile such as from a USDA-NRCS soil survey. The method includes deploying a sensing tool at selected positions within the geographic region to determine a depth-referenced subsurface material characteristic such as soil type or strata, comparing the determined subsurface material characteristic to the subsurface material characteristic reference profile associated with the geographic region to determine a correlation between the subsurface material characteristic reference profile and the depth-referenced subsurface material characteristic, and then deciding whether to deploy the tool at another position, and at what optimum position to deploy the tool, by considering the correlation.