“Magic” Beans

A new legume-shaped sensor pod is designed to monitor stored grains, helping farmers better manage and preserve their crops. The plastic “beans” measure about 45 mm (1-3/4 inches) long and 18 mm (3/4 inch) wide, and are 3-D-printed to encapsulate a circuit board containing sensors that measure temperature, humidity, air pressure motion and orientation, as well as concentrations of various gases such as carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. On-board Bluetooth communications and a wirelessly rechargeable battery allow them to be controlled and programmed remotely via a smartphone app.

As nodes in a wireless network, multiple beans placed in and around a grain pile can provide a continuous, three-dimensional analysis of storage conditions and alert a farmer of potential environmental problems or insect infestation. But beyond farming, the beans could have other applications for the Internet of Things. For example, they could record whether a parcel has been mishandled during transport, or alert a caregiver when an elderly individual takes a fall. The sensor-filled beans are targeted to become commercially available within two years.