The local dim sensor failed to provide proper readings; there was no way to calibrate it or fix it otherwise.
Since that was a stationary installation, I used the following workaround:
1️⃣ For those specific GPS coordinates, I created a lookup file containing sunrise and sunset timestamps for every day of the year.
2️⃣ I used UTC timestamps to avoid issues with daylight saving time updates.
3️⃣ When an event was detected, a simple script calculated the day/night-time value and enriched the AI agent’s input.
That simple solution, implemented as a custom tool for the local AI agent, met the business requirement and unblocked a significant business initiative.
It is tempting to over-engineer IoT-AI solutions and lose focus on the main business objective. Connecting yet another sensor is always fun, but it’s also the biggest risk in those kinds of deployments.
Maintain your focus; use boring solutions.
👉 Share the “boring solution” that provides the most value to your business.