Sam Connor our Mechnical Engineer, working with Sam Crookes have successfully created an Ethylene sensing device for a horticultural research company. Their purpose is to sense trace amounts of ethylene produced by fruit while ripening. The reason this is important is that when other fruit absorb ethylene, they start to ripen as well. Better detection of ripening fruit will help keep fruit fresh before it is needed for human consumption.

A nano mesh concentrator is used with an ethylene electrochemical sensor, circuit and micro-controller, to allow for readings approximately every 10 minutes.