Imagine going to the doctor and getting a blood test — but for your soil, right in the field, in just a few minutes. That's what MobiLab does. It's a small portable device that checks the levels of key nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in the ground, so farmers know precisely what their crops actually need instead of guessing. Think of it like a pregnancy test for soil fertility — quick, simple, no lab required.
Farmers today apply fertilizer based on estimates and generic recommendations rather than actual soil measurements. This leads to massive over-fertilization — wasting money on unnecessary inputs, polluting groundwater, and depleting finite natural fertilizer resources. There was no quick, affordable way to measure soil nutrient levels directly in the field without sending samples to a laboratory and waiting days for results.
The project built MobiLab — a portable lab-on-a-chip sensor device that measures concentrations of ammonia, nitrate, phosphate, and potassium in soil on-site within minutes. The project delivered both a final prototype and a final version of the complete MobiLab system, totaling 17 deliverables across the project lifecycle.
If you are a farming cooperative dealing with rising fertilizer costs and tightening environmental regulations — this project developed a portable lab-on-a-chip sensor that measures ammonia, nitrate, phosphate, and potassium in soil within minutes. Based on project data, farmers could save up to 35% of applied fertilizer, cutting input costs significantly while staying compliant with nutrient runoff limits.
If you are a fertilizer distributor looking for value-added services to differentiate from competitors — this project built a handheld soil nutrient sensor that gives farmers on-the-spot readings. Offering this device alongside your products lets you provide precision fertilization advice, building customer loyalty. The EU-level potential savings of up to 6 billion € annually shows the scale of the market shift toward precision application.
If you are an AgTech platform provider looking to integrate real-time soil data into your decision-support tools — this project delivered a final working version of a mobile soil nutrient sensor measuring four key nutrients. The device was developed by Pessl Instruments, an established precision farming equipment maker, meaning it is designed to fit into existing farm monitoring ecosystems rather than being a standalone research gadget.
The project data does not include specific pricing for the MobiLab device. However, the system is designed to replace repeated costly lab analyses with a one-time device purchase that delivers results in minutes on-site. Traditional soil lab tests typically cost per sample plus shipping and waiting time, so the savings accumulate quickly for farms testing frequently.
The MobiLab system was specifically designed for field use by farmers without special knowledge, measuring ammonia, nitrate, phosphate, and potassium on the spot. Pessl Instruments is an established precision farming company with global market presence, so scaling production and distribution infrastructure already exists. The project delivered a final version of the system, moving beyond prototype stage.
MobiLab was developed by Pessl Instruments GmbH as the sole consortium partner under an SME Instrument Phase 2 grant, meaning the company holds the IP. The technology builds on the earlier EU project OPTIFERT. Licensing or integration discussions would need to go through Pessl Instruments directly.
The EU Nitrates Directive and the Farm to Fork strategy both push for reduced fertilizer use. MobiLab directly supports compliance by giving farmers evidence-based nutrient data to avoid over-application. The project objective states that up to 35% of applied fertilizer could be saved, which aligns directly with regulatory pressure to cut nutrient pollution.
Based on the project objective, the MobiLab system enables farmers to determine fertilizer requirements within just a few minutes, without needing any special knowledge. The lab-on-a-chip design means no sample shipping, no waiting days for lab results — the reading happens on-site immediately.
Pessl Instruments is known for its iMETOS product line of connected weather stations and farm monitoring tools. Based on available project data, MobiLab was designed to fit within their existing precision farming ecosystem. The company website lists MobiLab under the iMETOS product family, suggesting integration with their monitoring platform.
This is a single-company project — Pessl Instruments GmbH from Austria is the sole partner, and it is a private commercial SME. That is typical for SME Instrument Phase 2 grants, which fund individual companies to bring near-market innovations forward. The 100% industry ratio and zero academic partners means this project was entirely commercially driven, not a research exercise. Pessl Instruments is an established player in precision farming hardware with global distribution, which significantly increases the likelihood that the MobiLab technology reaches actual customers rather than sitting in a university lab.
Pessl Instruments GmbH is an Austrian SME specializing in precision farming. SciTransfer can facilitate a direct introduction to their business development team.
Want to explore integrating MobiLab soil sensing into your agricultural products or services? SciTransfer can connect you directly with Pessl Instruments and provide a detailed technology brief.
