The modernization of winemaking and brewing continues to make headlines. Tight temperature control of wine fermentation with precise measurements has long been established, but the use of drones and artificial vision to ensure grapes achieve the desired level of maturity will soon become a reality. will be of Breweries are also increasingly opting for high tech to improve their production. An example of this trend is Czech breweries that are utilizing live shellfish to improve their production processes. And it’s not about food combinations.
Contrary to popular belief, one of the key ingredients of a quality ale is not the grain or yeast, but the purity of the water used in the process. Small differences in the latter can make a big difference in the taste of the resulting drink. That’s why experts at Protivin, a brewery in South Bohemia, rely on crayfish to monitor changes in water quality. Each specimen has its own sensor to measure variables such as heart rate and movement. His one reaction does not suggest a change in the chemical composition of water. However, if three of them change their behavior in a similar way, you can detect problems very early on.—Within 90 seconds.
The animal kingdom surpasses human technology
Developed and patented by scientists from the Faculty of Fisheries and Water Conservation at the University of South Bohemia in Bodnany, the main advantage of this system is the ability to detect non-specific changes. In other words, standard sensors can measure changes in iron and limestone levels in water, but are inefficient at detecting common changes in chemical composition such as bacteria and surfactants, among other elements. No. “We’re using crayfish like a living chemistry lab—a combination of a bioindicator and a biosensor,” says the University’s Fish Culture and Aquatic Biology Research. Director Pavel Kozak points out. A medium-term goal is to implement an advanced camera that can monitor the animal’s heart.
Natural Hazard Detection, Another Area of Biosensors
Animals are usually the first to sense an incoming earthquake and flee for their lives. A few years ago, NASA explained this phenomenon by chemical changes that occur hours or even days before an earthquake. In fact, in China, zoo animals are used as a kind of seismometer. This kind of “sixth sense”, plus the fact that animals react collectively when faced with dangerous situations, has implications for the study of changes in normal behavior to detect events such as wildfires. Open the door. A decade ago, a scientific paper proposed using animals as mobile biological sensors or MBSs in forests. GPS trackers attached to some specimens can be used with thermal and infrared sensors. The former allows us to detect sudden and unexpected movements suggestive of runaway in the face of wildfires, while the latter can signal changes in the infrared spectrum due to potential fires. Snakes, eagles, and rabbits were some of the candidates to carry these devices.
Regardless of the range of practical applications that animals may have as biosensors, animals always play an important role. Animal health and survival are the best indicators of ecosystem health.
sauce: Reuters
