Acoustic fingerprinting wins Rheality funding

University of Birmingham, UK, spinout Rheality Ltd, has been awarded funding to develop its acoustic fingerprint technology, to reduce waste in fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), food, petrochemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing.

The technology measures fluid rheology - the viscosity of fluids and how they flow. This is important for production lines for liquids such as ketchup or shampoo that need to have a specific consistency to come out of the bottle. The process uses a pin that vibrates as fluid flows around it, an acoustic sensor that converts the vibrations into an electrical signal, and an artificial intelligence machine learning algorithm that analyses the signal and converts it into a rheological value. 

The entire system is mounted on the pipe to deliver continuous monitoring of the fluids inside it, and can be calibrated to determine the presence of air bubbles or particulates in liquids, or to indicate the end-stage of a chemical reaction. This real-time measurement provides continuous monitoring.

The fluid-sensor system was developed by Dr Daniel Hefft and Professor Federico Alberini at the University’s School of Chemical Engineering. The company plans to partner with FMCG companies, and make bespoke applications for petrochemical and pharmaceutical companies as well as in all those sectors where knowledge of fluid characteristics is essential.  

The Sustainable Innovation Fund from Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, is investing to fund single and collaborative research and development projects over the next two years.