Making Freshness Monitoring Smarter and Easier
As part of the PRECISE Project, AmiNIC has been on a mission to revolutionize how supermarkets and restaurants ensure the freshness of meat and fish. Their goal is clear: create a user-friendly sensor that delivers accurate, reliable measurements while being simple to operate.
Over the past 2.5 years, AmiNIC has faced numerous real-world challenges. Continuous feedback from partners and users revealed scenarios that required rethinking both hardware and software. The result? A sensor that is more precise, more robust, and easier to use than ever before.
Some Key Developments and Innovations
The figures show the different stages of the mouthpiece, the newly developed multicantilever and the prototype of the multicantilever from inside. © Images by AmiNIC
- Redesigned Mouthpiece for Greater Accuracy
Early tests showed that the original mouthpiece did not adequately protect the cantilever, allowing tiny particles to interfere with measurements and causing premature saturation. AmiNIC returned to the original 3D design and introduced improvements: better side ventilation, larger exhaust holes, and smaller intake holes to prevent particle intrusion. After several rapid design sprints and test prints with SDU, the new mouthpiece now ensures stable measurements and minimizes contamination risks. - Multicantilever Technology
In collaboration with SDU and Fraunhofer, AmiNIC is testing a new multicantilever system. Unlike the original single cantilever, this design provides three separate measurement signals, enabling more detailed analysis. For example, two cantilevers can use a cadaverine binder while one remains uncoated, offering richer data for algorithms. This innovation also eliminates the need for reset measurements, saving valuable time during the process. - Standardized Measurement Protocol
Consistency is crucial when sensors are deployed across multiple users. Together with SDU, AmiNIC developed a new measurement protocol based on extensive calibration experiments. This protocol ensures reliable results and is now integrated into the sensor’s software. Users simply press one button, and the sensor performs the entire process automatically, making operation effortless.
Why It Matters
These advancements are more than technical upgrades; they represent a leap forward in food safety. By combining precision engineering with user-centric design, AmiNIC is helping retailers reduce waste and build consumer trust.
The PRECISE Project thrives on collaboration, and AmiNIC’s journey shows how shared expertise can turn challenges into breakthroughs. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to push the boundaries of innovation in food freshness monitoring.
he sensor testing a piece of salmon.
© Image by AmiNIC