Following ten years of research, the DAMP device is protected by a patent that is now used under exclusive licence by the start-up Brad Technology. The device uses a method of analysing radio-frequency waves that assesses the physical properties of soils, such as electrical conductivity and dielectric constant, and could help transform agricultural practices in France and abroad.
The data can be used to determine essential parameters such as humidity, salinity, the presence of organic matter and, above all, the amount of carbon stored. This last point is crucial: as carbon sinks, soils play a key role in the fight against global warming.
Maturation of the project, supported by Linksium,** has made it possible to transform a laboratory prototype into a solution ready for deployment. The start-up Brad Technology plans to market an industrial version of the sensor in 2025.
As well as agriculture, DAMP technology could also be applied to environmental monitoring or even snow analysis. But it is in the fields that it will likely have the greatest impact, helping farmers to better manage irrigation, limit chemical inputs and assess their carbon storage in the soil. “This technology could help farmers to adapt their practices to the real needs of the soil, while demonstrating their commitment to virtuous practices,” explains Pascal Xavier, a researcher at CROMA. “By reducing inputs and increasing organic matter, it provides a concrete response to the challenges of regenerative agriculture and soil conservation.” In collaboration with INRAE, Brad Technology wants to refine the mathematical models to further improve measurement accuracy.
Thanks to this innovation, based on CROMA’s expertise in microwave frequencies, agriculture is entering a new era in which science and technology are working together to ensure the sustainable and intelligent management of natural resources.
*CNRS, UGA, Université Savoie Mont-Blanc, Grenoble INP - UGA
**SATT Grenoble - Alpes