Success at Dyson Design Awards with groundbreaking fruit measuring device

Developed as part of Krige’s creative practise-based PhD at Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University, Foresight is a tree-mounted, camera-based device that uses stereoscopic vision to measure fruit size in real time.

Foresight enables growers to correlate growth data with weather forecasts, chemical applications and regenerative practices to support more informed, sustainable decision-making. It includes a visually tangible dashboard to allow comparison to previous days, weeks and seasons.

“Currently, growers are still using callipers to manually measure apples by hand. That’s repetitive, time-consuming and often inaccurate, especially for large-scale operations,” Dr Krige says.

The Foresight device is powered by solar energy or battery and made from recycled HDPE plastic, chosen for its chemical and weather-resistant durability. It features large, tactile buttons for ease of use in outdoor conditions by gloved seasonal workers, and a modular strap system that allows for easy attachment and self-repair.

At the heart of the device is a Zed2i stereoscopic camera, which captures a single image each night using a calibrated flash. Consistent lighting eliminates the variability caused by daylight and weather. The images are processed using machine-learning to identify a fruit, draw a precise circle around it and calculate its size. Data is then sent wirelessly to a central dashboard, giving orchard managers a clear, real-time view of growth trends.

Dr Krige says Foresight will operate in orchards with hail netting, which usually disrupts large data collection via satellite, making it an ideal tool for modern orchards adapting to climate change.

Zené Krige says the design process for Foresight was deeply iterative. Over three years she developed and tested more than 100 prototypes in collaboration with growers and researchers.

Dr Krige is now a Senior Tutor within Massey’s Industrial Design programme, where she emphasises to students the power of insight-driven design to bridge technologies and human need.