
Impact

Custom sensor development
Off-the-shelf sensors span a huge range of functions and price points, but circumstances often demand a new type of measurement or manufacturing approach.
Our custom sensor development covers everything from high-reliability sensing for ultra-harsh environments to low-cost, low-power consumer devices.

Diverse technologies
With a broad range of expertise and an impartial, technology agnostic approach, we work across the whole spectrum of sensing, selecting the optimum solution for the challenge at hand. Our work in the sensing space includes physical modelling (computational flow dynamics and finite element), analysis for new sensing principles and developing innovative machine vision and machine learning systems for robotics, agriculture and industry.

High-performance, low-cost sensors
The availability of cheap yet powerful microcontrollers and GPUs has enabled much more value to be derived from commodity parts such as CMOS cameras, accelerometers and magnetic sensors.
Through value engineering of established designs, and by using novel DSP algorithms to extract more data, we are able to deliver huge leaps forward in performance while reducing costs.
Experience

Classical to cutting-edge
Our sensing experience spans classical physics and electronics through to the latest deep learning techniques. This is underpinned by a keen understanding of the physical and commercial fundamentals that make finished products competitive and efficient.
Our sensing expertise is spread across our Boston, MA and Cambridge, UK offices. While our Boston team has particularly strong mechatronic skills, our Cambridge team leads the way in algorithms and large system integration.
Interested in joining us?
Tech, tools & facilities

Chemistry labs
Our chemistry labs provide dedicated facilities for industrial, consumer, food chemistry and fluidics research and development. Our microfluidics lab features specialist equipment including our Plant Design Management System (PDMS), Spraytec laser diffraction droplet size analyser and Matersizer particle size analyser. Meanwhile, our beverage lab and wet and dry labs cater for the unique requirements of rapid food-safe prototype development.

Food & beverage lab
Specifically set up to meet the unique requirements of developing food- and beverage-safe systems, our dedicated lab means we have the necessary procedures and equipment in place to design and test new products in-house. Quantitative and scientific testing is fundamental to our science-led innovation approach, but ultimately taste tests are always needed. This is our only lab where the consumption of food and drink is not just allowed but essential!

Electronic production
Our flexible, responsive and agile manufacturing facilities are ideally suited to electronic and electromechanical product builds, enabling us to very quickly set up short product runs built to an extremely high quality. We can build our own PCBAs using industrial representative equipment and ensure manufacture-ability during design. Having our own EPD facility is also extremely helpful in development, driving out DfX activities in eCAD, and feeding test results back into the design process from an early stage.

Optics labs
Our suite optics labs enable us to build complex and high-precision optical layouts, typically for testing prototype designs and novel techniques prior to deployment. Featuring six high-spec optical benches with configurable interlocked controlled areas for high-power (class 4) laser work and specialist facilities for interferometry, spectroscopy, low-noise fluorescence imaging and photon counting. This space can be split into separate laser-controlled areas, allowing multiple experiments to run simultaneously, giving our optical engineers the capability to develop creative solutions without instrumentation restrictions.

Prototyping workshops
Our electronic and mechanical prototyping workshops allow us to produce technically credible prototypes that bring ideas to life and offer a powerful demonstration of their value. All while maintaining extremely high standards of quality that conform to ISO 9001, ISO 13485 and ISO 14001 regulations. Using the latest CNC and milling machines, lathes, welding gear and wire harness and cable assembly tools, we are able to produce parts very quickly and assemble full-scale working prototypes for testing and consumer trials.

Software tools
We use a range of specialist software for model-based design and simulation. These include MathWorks Matlab and Simulink (including automated code generation and GPU acceleration), dSPACE for model based design, hardware in the loop testing and development of mechatronic systems, and CFD solutions including COMSOL Multiphysics for multiphase flow simulation. Finite element packages like ANSYS Maxwell and HFSS, CST Studio and Microwave Office are used for full-wave, transmission line and magnetostatic simulation. We also employ a dedicated compute cluster for machine learning, neural network training and continuous verification.
Case studies

Pietro Fiorentini subsea sensor
Developing a high-performance, zero-maintenance subsea water cut sensor

Skintuition
Skintuition enables a new generation of truly personalised care products – from cosmetics to sunscreen. But it also has applications far beyond the personal care sector.

Analog devices smart car park monitoring
Paving the way for low-cost, real-time sensing for smart buildings and smart cities, using machine vision and a low-cost processing platform

News & insights

Real-time nitrate sensing: enabling precision fertilizer application
Real-time nitrate sensing holds the potential for significant yield increases, cost savings, and environmental impact reduction.
- Optics
- Physical sciences
- Sensing

Extracting value from e-waste
Year on year we’re producing more and more waste electronics – e-waste. Recovering the valuable materials embedded in e-waste will become significantly more important. At present this is a highly manual process...
- Innovation management
- Machine learning & AI
- Sensing

Experiential sensing
As major brands strive to maintain consumer relevance, innovative brands will turn to technology for a deeper understanding of their customers.
- Digital services
- Machine learning & AI
- Sensing

Sensing and analytics in agriculture: turning an art into science
Farming needs to become smarter, to meet global food demand, protect the environment and combat commercial pressures. Advanced sensing technologies and data analytics can make farms more efficient...
- Data science & analytics
- Sensing
Events

World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit 2019
We’re delighted to be a Gold sponsor of the World Agri-tech Innovation Summit, where we’ll be part of a panel discussing the opportunity for Robotics in agricultural environments.

CES
CES is the world's gathering place for all those that thrive on the business of consumer technologies. The global stage where next-generation innovations are introduced to the marketplace.

Food Matters Live
Food Matters Live is a global community event connecting people working in food, drink and nutrition; it provides a platform to share game-changing ideas, innovations and insights.

Congress of Neurological Surgeons 2018 Annual Meeting
We’re delighted to present the ‘Surgical Robotics: Engineering to Bedside’ symposium, in collaboration with the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. This symposium focuses on understanding state-of-the-art robotic systems...
We can help you achieve the impossible