Cambridge-based sensors specialist Zettlex has successfully built position monitoring devices light enough to track bumble bees in motion.
The company – which usually makes position and speed sensors for armoured fighting vehicles, industrial robots, oil and gas installations, radar systems etc – says it thought the enquiry was a wind-up.
"At first I thought it might be one of my pals playing a practical joke, but when we found out more about the bumble-bee hive application, we were very keen to be involved," states general manager Mark Howard.
Local bumble-bee researcher Nik Sargent was carrying out research on hive activity and needed to monitor and count the bees as they entered and left the hive.
"There was a big problem with traditional sensors – they were simply too big and bulky. However, Zettlex's technology was so light and sensitive it could easily be activated by a bumble-bee," says Sargent.
"Because Zettlex sensors are inductive they are also not adversely affected by the outdoor conditions such as dust, pollen and honey residue," he adds.
"We're not planning a big marketing campaign to capture a slice of the bee-keeping market – but we're delighted that our technology has proven useful for the research," comments Howard.
