At the 2025 Sensors Converge Conference and Expo in Santa Clara, CA, in June, Verbio Technologies SL, in partnership with SoftBank Corp. and Aizip Inc., won Best Agriculture & Environmental Solution for their groundbreaking Shinsor system. Industry experts evaluated entries based on innovation, market value, and their ability to address critical challenges, with Shinsor standing out for its transformative approach to fish quality assessment.
Shinsor addresses a fundamental challenge in the fisheries industry where traditional fish freshness assessment relies on subjective visual inspections or costly laboratory analyses. These conventional approaches suffer from human error, inconsistency, and delays that lead to increased waste and suboptimal pricing decisions throughout the supply chain. The system combines portable near-infrared spectroscopic sensors with advanced artificial intelligence to deliver real-time, non-invasive fish quality assessments.
The NIR sensors capture spectral data from fish tissue, which is then processed by machine learning models trained on thousands of paired spectral and laboratory measurements. These models extract quantitative indicators such as the K-value, a well-established metric that reflects fish freshness through biochemical parameters including ATP, ADP, AMP, IMP, HxR, and Hx levels. The technology utilizes ensemble methods like Random Forests alongside classifiers such as Support Vector Machines, XGBoost, and deep neural network transformers.
Advanced preprocessing techniques, including Standard Normal Variate normalization and frequency filtering, reduce noise and baseline shifts, ensuring the spectral data accurately reflects the fish’s biochemical composition even in variable field conditions. The compact sensors integrate an onboard light source with a wide spectral range for fish quality measurement.
A critical advantage of Shinsor is its ability to operate as an on-device application using Tiny Machine Learning technology. This approach enables real-time analysis in environments with limited network connectivity or where large-scale equipment is impractical, such as remote fish processing facilities or aboard fishing vessels. The cloud-based architecture supports continuous model improvement through self-learning from new data, automatically updating to enhance prediction accuracy while adapting to changes in sensor performance or environmental conditions.
When presenting the award, judges noted that Shinsor “presents a transformative solution for the fisheries industry by replacing traditional subjective assessments of fish freshness with real-time, AI-powered analysis.” They emphasized how the integration of portable sensors and machine learning techniques provides quantifiable freshness metrics that enable “faster, more accurate decision-making across the supply chain.”
The system’s effectiveness has been validated through real-world deployments, including at Akasaka Fisheries in Japan. In a 13-month pilot involving over 850 sea bream, the technology demonstrated consistent accuracy and reproducibility. Mr. Ryutaro Akasaka, CEO of Akasaka Fisheries, confirmed that the sensor readings were “extremely reliable and useful,” noting that the objective measurements mirror laboratory test results while providing immediate insights for optimizing processing schedules and storage methods.
Analysis shows operators can achieve first-year returns of 460% to 530%, with benefits stemming from reduced spoilage through precise quality assessments and improved pricing strategies. The judges recognized the broader impact, calling Shinsor “truly a disruptive application” and noting its “direct impact on the sustainable practices for the planet as well.”
Verbio Technologies SL, headquartered in Spain, specializes in AI-driven quality assessment solutions for the food industry. The company’s Chief Scientific Officer, Jaume Padrell, leads the development of innovative technologies that combine advanced sensing with machine learning analytics. Through strategic partnerships with SoftBank Corp. and Aizip Inc., Verbio pushes objective quality measurement in agriculture and environmental applications. The collaboration brings together Verbio’s domain expertise in food quality assessment, SoftBank’s technological innovation capabilities, and Aizip’s AI development strengths to create solutions that address real-world challenges in food safety and sustainability.
To discover other companies providing innovative sensors and see the complete list of 2025 Best of Sensors Award winners, visit the Best of Sensors Awards announcement.