ScanSpectrum

Spectroscopy made portable, affordable, and adaptable.

Become our partner

ScanSpectrum is a portable VIS-NIR spectrometer, enabling in-situ agricultural and environmental analysis at scale. It is both affordable and performant, constructed through years of testing and design by the hardware and software engineers at QED.

THE NEED FOR INFORMATION

Why ScanSpectrum

ScanSpectrum was inspired by the scarcity of publicly available agricultural and medical data, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The pain points we address are:

the high prices of benchtop lab instruments for compositional assessment, and
the logistical costs of ferrying samples from field to lab.

To translate data into actionable and practical policies, collecting larger and more spatially distributed datasets with “good enough” sensors is often more effective than having only a few expensive sensors at limited sentinel sites. ScanSpectrum provides a pragmatic method of both collecting training data at scale, and deploying calibrated models in the field and across supply chains.

THE DEVICE FOR ALL ENVIRONMENTS

Portable and Accessible

Our current in-field sensor, reminiscent of a Star Trek phaser, comes in a compact, fitted case equipped with documentation, accessories, and spare parts. It connects effortlessly to an Android phone via USB, providing rapid reports of both the spectrum and NDVI within seconds, while saving georeferenced data in accessible, open formats. Sample preparation procedures vary by target, with options for automation through custom design.

HOW WE DO IT

Our Approach

ScanSpectrum is utilized by a global network of researchers and leading laboratories to detect a wide array of phenomena, from crop and plant nutrition to plant stresses and food integrity. Together, we are building a robust foundation of scientific evidence to showcase the capabilities of this portable and affordable device. Our technology supports a versatile hybrid approach, seamlessly switching between dry and wet chemistry methods; it employs reflectance spectroscopy for solid samples and transmittance spectroscopy for liquids with a standard cuvette. Additionally, ScanSpectrum is adaptable across various form factors, including handheld scanners for in-field assessments and ruggedized modules for automated production lines.

We are interested in partnering with organizations aiming to solve specific industrial use cases with spectroscopy, and manufacturing partners or philanthropists to scale up production.

Characteristics

Portable

ScanSpectrum is ultra-lightweight and fits in the palm of your hand. It plugs into your own Android phone and power bank. Everything you need comes in a compact suitcase that fits in your backpack.

Fast

Scan specimens in seconds. Lighting fast data capture with immediate rendering of spectrograms onto your phone.

Adaptable

Choose how you want to play. Configure different muzzles and plug-ins to support both colorimetric wet chemistry and infrared spectroscopy.

Interoperable

Spectra are recorded in open, machine-readable formats. Share and build models to your heart’s content. Tie spectra and questionnaires together via a direct integration with Open Data Kit (ODK).

Reliable

Compute concentrations with accuracies identical to lab equipment costing hundreds of times more.

Affordable

We channel the strongest techniques from the maker movement, including 3D printing and ARM technologies, to build professional hardware at affordable costs.

Use Cases

Plant Health Assessment

Capture NDVI, nitrogen concentration, moisture, and other vegetation indexes in seconds. Perform the same measurements done by crop sensors and chlorophyll meters, as evidenced from years of experimental trials.

Environmental Health

Rapidly measure water quality metrics such as acidity and chemical oxygen demand. Assess the completion of chemical reactions in industrial settings.

Soil Analysis

Use colorimetry and transmittance mode to measure labile nutrients such as C, N, P, K. Or use reflectance mode to build localized predictive models for C, N, and pH.