LiORA
Background
At the time, LiORA was known as Environmental Material Science (EMS). They had developed a sensor that provides live monitoring of subsurface soil conditions, addressing needs such as optimal crop growth and soil remediation after contamination. While early prototypes successfully demonstrated proof of concept, these initial devices were costly, time-intensive to assemble, and lacked wireless connectivity.
The Challenge
With an upcoming sales ramp-up and two promising use cases for their technology, EMS needed to redesign their sensors for efficient, scalable production, allowing the same hardware to be used in multiple operating scenarios. The primary goals were to reduce assembly time and costs and to add wireless connectivity. The project began with their CropSense device, designed for soil monitoring in agriculture, and later extended to their SoilSense bore hole sensor, which connects multiple devices in a series at various depths to monitor soil hydrocarbons during remediation.
Solution
For the mechanical design, we started with an additive manufacturing approach using MultiJet Fusion Nylon with Vapor Sealing by Exergy Solutions, complete with o-rings and gaskets for easy assembly and adaptability to PCBA design updates. For embedded systems expertise, I brought in Ryan from Disruptive Design - a trusted electrical engineer specializing in embedded systems’ design and integration - to revamp the circuit boards with wireless connectivity features.
Impact
Together, Ryan and I collaborated with EMS while leveraging Exergy's high volume printing and post-processing capabilities, which allowed us to rapidly iterate the designs and integrate new features for both sensor types, then transition directly into early production. That close collaboration enabled us to adjust designs as the product scaled, streamlining the path from prototype to production-ready devices.
Current Status
Environmental Material Science rebranded to LiORA, and have since expanded globally reaching customers from North America to Australia. Their advanced sensor suite and soil remediation programs deliver effective, scalable solutions in both agricultural and oil & gas sectors, providing invaluable support for soil and groundwater management. They've secured a number of US contracts and are growing rapidly.
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