One-third of food intended for human consumption is lost or wasted, equating to about one trillion dollars annually. Besides the economic toll, this indicates a significant squandering of vital resources like water, land, and energy involved in the production, processing, and transportation of food.
Industrial Design
Mechanical Engineering
Challenge
Farmers often grow excess fruit, creating surpluses that may not find buyers due to market limitations, and retailers and consumers often reject produce that doesn't meet stringent quality standards. Consequently, the industry stores its harvest in sealed warehouses until it is ready for shipment. Proper monitoring and treatment during storage can significantly reduce food waste and boost return on investment.
Solution
In collaboration with Loft, C2Sense has crafted an extensive Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) monitoring solution tailored for overseeing large produce warehouses. This system manages ammonia levels in agricultural settings—specifically grow-out houses—by employing carbon nanotubes and olfactory sensors. The integration of cutting-edge MIT sensor technology ensures exceptional precision and reliability in ammonia detection. The user-friendly web interface offers real-time data, empowering users to make timely decisions.
Outcome
The C2Sense IIoT digital gas sensor platform transforms remote sensor inputs into actionable real-time data. The sensors can measure food freshness markers to help people ship, sell, and consume food before it spoils. The sensors can also help protect industrial workers from toxic gases. C2Sense’s revolutionary chemiresistive sensing technology is digitizing chemical information on a platform that is radically simple, inexpensive to implement, and adaptable to nearly all gas-sensing applications.
A simple remote monitoring platform
C2Sense prioritized an easily installable, standalone IIoT system. It requires no external connectivity or extensive training. This is crucial for remote agricultural warehouses. The cell-based remote sensing platform, coupled with an integrated web dashboard, ensures flexible deployment and maintenance. With C2Sense's real-time data platform and remote web portal, customers can swiftly access information and recommendations. The compact and portable nature of C2Sense's digital ‘sense of smell’ allows for widespread deployment.
C2Sense works its magic at every stage of the supply chain. C2's custom sensor monitors volatiles directly related meat, poultry, and fish freshness, as well as fruit ripeness.