2021 - Volume #45, Issue #6, Page #28
[ Sample Stories From This Issue | List of All Stories In This Issue | Print this story
| Read this issue]
SCiO Lets Farmers Test Corn In Field
 |
 |
“This tool is based on a technology called Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS), where we use the interaction of light and matter to understand the chemical makeup of materials,” says Damian Goldring, cofounder of SCiO.
While NIRS technology has been used within laboratories for years, this tool is the first product that moves the analysis into farm fields.
The SCiO Analyzer is built with a proprietary spectrometer that reads the light reflected from a sample of plant material. In this way, it analyzes the spectrum of the reflected light and then uses algorithms to assess the overall moisture level from 80 percent down to 8 percent.
By pressing the device against a ripening corn cob, you can test the corn kernel moisture in less than a minute. “This device is simple to use, accurate and affordable,” says Goldring.
The device is smartphone-operated and connected to the cloud for in-app reports for tracking trends and real-time harvest planning. Its rechargeable battery should last for testing over 50 ears of corn before requiring a quick charge through a standard micro-USB cable.
At present, the SCiO is primarily meant for corn analysis by seed growers and agronomists. Consumer Physics is working to develop more calibrations to support other crops.
The company’s other NIRS product, the SCiO Cup, has more versatility. It works to analyze forage as well as corn, grains (soybeans and wheat), and berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries). Additional calibrations are being added frequently.
Both purchases include a one-year license for the SCiO device and app.
“With this license, you get to use the corn-on-the-cob calibration. In addition, all scans are saved in the app and the cloud so one can always go back to see the scans that were taken. Our app also allows us to track the moisture in specific fields or locations and see the moisture trend as the season progresses. We also provide a map view where the moisture can be observed in different locations,” says Goldring.
The SCiO Corn Moisture Analyzer with a one-year app subscription sells for $2,200. Renewing the subscription costs $1,600 annually.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, SCiO by Consumer Physics, St. Cloud, Minn. (sales@consumerphysics.com; www.consumerphysics.com).
Click here to download page story appeared in.
Click here to read entire issue
To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.
