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Trevor’s invention cuts wasted water

From the Worcester News, first published Tuesday 26th Sep 2006.

A HI-TECH invention from a Malvern company currently being tested across the UK and Spain could spell the end of summer hosepipe bans.

The soil moisture sensor, created by McBurney Scientific Ltd and funded by the Central Technology Belt (CTB) - which runs from Malvern to Birmingham and promotes science and innovation in the region - could revolutionise farming and irrigation methods.

The sensor is placed in the soil, where it records moisture and temperature, and transmits the readings to a common hand-held computer using Bluetooth technology. The results can be used to maintain perfect growing conditions for crops and avoid water wastage.

While the basic sensor is being tested in the UK and Spain, a grant of £25,000 from the technology transfer fund arm of the CTB has also allowed inventor Terry McBurney to develop an advanced version.

The newer model will include many advanced features such as radio technology to transmit information to the internet, so that results can be e-mailed directly to a specific address or accessed from any computer, like an online bank account.

Dr McBurney hopes it will be used to automatically control soil irrigation.

CTB chief executive Alan Folwell said: "Terry's idea is absolutely fantastic and we were delighted to be able to support it financially.

"A garden sprinkler uses around 1,000 litres of water an hour - that's nearly one pint for every two seconds it is in operation and about twice as much as a family of four uses in a day. Anything to monitor moisture levels and avoid this wastage is obviously great news - especially in light of the hose-pipe bans we see most summers.

"It is very satisfying to see a project come together, from the initial idea to it being built and put into practice. It is currently being tested with potatoes and strawberries in the UK, as well as in Spain, and it really does have the potential to transform agriculture."

McBurney Scientific Ltd is based at Malvern Hills Science Park, in Geraldine Road, Malvern.

The CTB's technology transfer fund works in a similar way to TV show Dragon's Den, with experts that judge new ideas and fund those deemed to be the most viable.

Last year it also gave £25,000 to support the development of an anti-fraud cradle' for chip and PIN keypads that both magnifies the display to aid partially-sighted people and stops bystanders reading the PIN as it is entered.

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