Bees are very important for terrestrial ecosystems and, above all, for the subsistence of many crops, due to their ability to pollinate flowers. Currently, the honey bee populations are decreasing due to colony collapse disorder (CCD). The reasons for CCD are not fully known, and as a result, it is essential to obtain all possible information on the environmental conditions surrounding the beehives. On the other hand, it is important to carry out such information gathering as non-intrusively as possible to avoid modifying the bees’ work conditions and to obtain more reliable data. We designed a wireless-sensor networks meet these requirements. We designed a remote monitoring system (called WBee) based on a hierarchical three-level model formed by the wireless node, a local data server, and a cloud data server. WBee is a low-cost, fully scalable, easily deployable system with regard to the number and types of sensors and the number of hives and their geographical distribution. WBee saves the data in each of the levels if there are failures in communication. In addition, the nodes include a backup battery, which allows for further data acquisition and storage in the event of a power outage. Unlike other systems that monitor a single point of a hive, the system we present monitors and stores the temperature and relative humidity of the beehive in three different spots. Additionally, the hive is continuously weighed on a weighing scale. Real-time weight measurement is an innovation in wireless beehive—monitoring systems. We designed an adaptation board to facilitate the connection of the sensors to the node. Through the Internet, researchers and beekeepers can access the cloud data server to find out the condition of their hives in real time.

The alcoholic fermentation is a critical step that should be controlled and monitored to avoid any risks and hazards through the complete winemaking process. Usually, the control of fermentation is afforded by means of physical or chemical analysis carried out in situ or in oenological laboratories. These procedures are very time and workforce consuming and also causes a delay in the decision making by the winemaker. Nevertheless, they can be optimized and automatized by using disruptive technologies solutions as are the Internet of Things (IoT), combined with minisensors to autonomous carbon dioxide (CO2) monitoring. This system has been tested at laboratory scale and the obtained results show that their use provide a low-cost solution to follow in real-time the evolution of the alcoholic fermentation. The information provided by the combination of the CO2 sensors and IoT technologies is very usefully to the winemakers, because it helps to detect the stopping or stuck of fermentation, allowing to react immediately, which is crucial to ensure the elaboration of a wine type with the expected quality.