E-SPECTR · Project

Portable Sensor That Detects Contamination in Water, Wine, and Honey in Seconds

manufacturingTestedTRL 6

cybertronica.de.com

Imagine you could put a sample of water, wine, or honey into an electric field and then poke it with light, heat, or magnets — and by watching how it reacts, figure out exactly what's in it. That's what this sensor does. It picks up tiny chemical differences between samples that other methods miss, like trace contamination in drinking water or whether honey has been adulterated. A German SME built fully working prototypes and demonstrated them in real food production settings.

By the numbers

EUR 99,970

EU contribution for commercialization strategy

Innovation Radar Prize 2016 finalist

Recognition in Excellent Science category

1 SME

Single-company consortium (100% industry)

The business problem

What needed solving

Companies in water treatment, food production, and materials testing need fast, on-site detection of contamination and quality issues. Current methods typically require sending samples to a lab and waiting days for results, creating delays and blind spots in quality control. A portable sensor that delivers instant field analysis could eliminate that bottleneck.

The solution

What was built

Fully operational prototypes of an excitation spectrometer combining EIS and excitation spectroscopy. A demonstrator showing the functional device and measurement technology was delivered. The sensor was tested in water quality monitoring and wine/honey production scenarios.

Audience

Who needs this

Water treatment plants and municipal water quality monitoring agenciesWine producers and honey processors needing field authenticationEnvironmental testing laboratoriesFood safety and quality control companiesBiotechnology firms analyzing organic materials and fluids

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Water utilities and environmental monitoring

any

Target: Water treatment companies and municipal water quality labs

If you are a water utility dealing with the challenge of detecting low-concentration chemical contaminations quickly — this project developed a portable excitation spectrometer that can identify trace contaminants in water samples on-site. The fully operational prototype demonstrated high sensitivity for detecting small physicochemical differences, potentially replacing slower lab-based testing workflows.

Food and beverage production

SME

Target: Wine producers, honey processors, and food quality labs

If you are a food producer needing fast authentication of raw materials in the field — this project built a sensor that was demonstrated in wine and honey production for express identification of complex biochemical substances. It can flag adulteration or quality issues on the spot without sending samples to an external lab, cutting turnaround from days to minutes.

Advanced materials and biotechnology

mid-size

Target: Materials testing companies and biotech R&D labs

If you are a materials testing firm looking for a versatile analysis tool — this excitation spectrometer analyzes dielectric and electrochemical properties of organic objects, tissues, fluids, and materials. The combined EIS and excitation spectroscopy approach gives you structural and behavioral data in one measurement, covering biology, chemistry, and material science applications.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would this sensor cost compared to traditional lab analysis?

The project data does not specify pricing. The EU contribution was EUR 99,970 for the commercialization strategy phase, suggesting the device itself is relatively low-cost to produce. Based on available project data, the target is the global sensor device market, implying competitive pricing against existing laboratory equipment.

Can this work at industrial scale or is it still a lab tool?

Fully operational prototypes have been produced and demonstrated in real production environments (wine and honey). The project deliverable is a fully functional device demonstrator combining EIS and excitation spectroscopy, indicating it has moved beyond the lab bench. However, mass manufacturing readiness is not confirmed in the available data.

What is the IP situation — can I license this technology?

The technology was developed by CYBRES GmbH, a German SME that is the sole partner and likely IP holder. It was recognized as an Innovation Radar Prize 2016 finalist in the 'Excellent Science' category. Licensing or purchase discussions would go through CYBRES directly.

What can this sensor actually detect that existing tools cannot?

The sensor detects small physicochemical differences between samples by combining electrical impedance spectroscopy with optical, magnetic, or thermal excitation. Specific demonstrated capabilities include detecting low-concentrated chemical contaminations and non-chemical treatments in water, and express identification of complex biochemical substances in wine and honey production.

How fast are the measurements?

The objective describes 'express identification' of substances in field conditions, indicating rapid results compared to traditional lab analysis. Based on available project data, exact measurement times are not specified, but the portable field-use design suggests minutes rather than hours.

Does this meet regulatory requirements for water or food testing?

Based on available project data, regulatory certification is not mentioned. The technology has been demonstrated in production environments, but formal compliance with water quality directives or food safety regulations would need to be confirmed with the developer.

Consortium

Who built it

This is a single-company project run entirely by CYBRES GmbH, a German SME. With 100% industry participation and no university or research institute partners, this signals a company that already owns the core technology and used this EUR 99,970 CSA grant to develop its go-to-market strategy rather than do basic research. The absence of academic partners means IP is concentrated in one entity, which simplifies licensing discussions but also means the technology validation comes from the company itself rather than independent research labs.

CYBRES GMBHCoordinator · DE

How to reach the team

CYBRES GmbH is a German SME — contact through SciTransfer for a qualified introduction

Order a report on this consortium See CYBRES GMBH profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to test this sensor for your water or food quality needs? SciTransfer can arrange a direct introduction to the development team and help evaluate fit for your specific use case.

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