Recording the journey

An impact tracker originally developed for root crops is now being used to safeguard the value of a range of produce – even cut flowers. Jane Carley finds out more.

Damage to crops such as roots, fruit and vegetables costs the industry millions of pounds each year and contributes to food waste.

However, it can often be reduced or even avoided with small changes to the way produce is handled, from harvesting and field transport machinery through processing and packing equipment and ultimately, the supply chain.

Crop technology specialist

Martin Lishman developed the

TuberLog electronic potato almost 30 years ago, designed to identify damage and bruise causes in all types of potato handling machinery and inform changes to machinery settings or logistics operations.

It consists of an acceleration measurement logger embedded in a synthetic shape that mimics the size, shape, density and movement characteristics of a ‘ware’ potato.

TuberLog records impacts while moving with real potatoes during harvesting and processing and locates damage and bruise-causing parts of machinery.

Data is transmitted instantly by

Bluetooth to a tablet or smartphone for monitoring and is also recorded and stored for analysis on a PC, using the software supplied.

From this, the company has developed ImpacTrack, based on a 3cm data logger cube that houses a three-axis shock sensor, temperature sensor, bluetooth transmitter, data memory and battery.

This cube is placed inside a specially-designed cover produced by a 3D printer, designed to match the shape of fruit, vegetables or even cut flowers and shellfish.

When choosing a shape, it is important to know the average weight of the produce with the same average dimensions.

The final weight of the ImpacTrack is then matched to this so that it behaves and reacts (including floating in water) in the same way as the real produce. Most shapes are waterproof and can have the same buoyancy as the produce being processed.

Data

ImpacTrack connects to the iOS and Android ML Sensing app via Bluetooth can be used to view the logger in real time, or to set the logger to record internally for extended shipments.

The data gathered can be downloaded at the end of the journey into the app or exported for further data analysis.

One of the more unusual applications is the cut flower market. Cambridgeshire-based MM Flowers, founded in 2007, grows and sources cut flowers globally and serves leading UK and European retailers.

Technical and quality developer Dr David Booth says: “We receive circa 10 million stems a week [over 600m a year], supplying multiple retail and online customers with high quality cut flowers across various species and hundreds of varieties, for both traditional stores and online purchases.

“I tested a data logger in root crops when doing my PhD and could see its value for the cut flower market, so I worked with Martin Lishman to design the Magic Flower.”

Designed to be the same size and shape as a premium rose and complete with interchangeable stem length, the Magic Flower is placed in a bouquet for shipping and records temperature – a key criteria in the management of cut flowers in transit – as well as impacts.

“Data comes in via the app, showing 32,000 data points at chosen intervals, which can be as frequent as every five to 10 seconds.

“It can also be set to send data every hour for a longer recording period.

“It is extremely useful to monitor any potential damage or deterioration which can then be discussed with our growers.”

Dr Booth adds that his work on root crops highlighted the durability of the ImpacTrack, with an ‘electronic parsnip’ dug into the ground to go through a full process from harvesting to the retailer and he has found this to be the case with the Magic Flower.

“It has been sent out some 40 times and has proved to be extremely robust; we have not even needed to change the battery yet.

“Access to the data is straightforward either via smartphone or via download for analysis.”

Martin Lishman has worked with specialists to develop an ImpacTrack version for cut flowers.

An app displays where impacts occur in real time. The original TuberLog, designed to identify damage and bruise causes.