Known for making sensors for NASA and deep sea exploration, the St. Louis based Impossible Sensing LLC just landed a Phase I SBIR grant from the Department of Energy for $249,586 to develop a field deployable sensor to easily assess organic matter in soil.
“In Phase I we will demonstrate the performance of our organic matter bioimager concept, determine requirements for a commercial imager, and design and optimize an engineering model suitable for Phase II incorporation with robotics systems and on-site field testing,” the company said in its grant application.
Right now soil assessment requires sampling and lab analysis. Impossible Sensing says it is partnering with two unnamed ag-tech and bio-tech companies for this research.
Pablo Sobron, Impossible Sensing CEO
Founded in 2016 the 12 person St. Louis startup nabbed global headlines this spring for having its sensors aboard the rover as part of the Mars 2020 Perseverance mission. This recent grant is the first from the Dept. of Energy but Impossible Sensing has brought in five Phase I and two Phase II SBIR grants from NASA totaling $2,118,820. Impossible Sensing CEO Pablo Sobron did not immediately return a call for comment in this story.
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