Researchers from the University of Warwick created a smart chemical stirrer, called the Smart Stirrer, that stirs a solution while simultaneously measuring any property changes in the solution.

Demo of how the Smart Stirrer works. Source: WMG, University of Warwick

The Smart Stirrer, which is a magnetic bar with an integrated process monitoring system, can perform the basic functions of a conventional lab stir bar with an integrated microprocessor and various sensors. The sensors are capable of wirelessly and autonomously reporting the conversion of properties of a solution while the stirrer is a capsule magnet encased in plastic.

To use the Smart Stirrer, a beaker with a solution is placed on a platform that generates a magnetic field. When the magnetic stirrer is placed in a solution, the magnetic field causes that liquid to be continuously rotated. The Smart Stirrer simultaneously monitors color, transparency, conductivity, viscosity and temperature. If any changes are detected, that information is sent wirelessly over Bluetooth to notify the chemist of the changes.

This is reportedly the first affordable multi-sensor stirrer device of its kind that addresses a common issue among chemists. When mixing chemicals, chemists have to stir the solution while checking its properties and monitoring if and how they change. All of these tasks are difficult to do at once, but that is where the Smart Stirrer comes in, according to its developers.

The team said that the next generation of the Smart Stirrer will be smaller, feature more sophisticated stirrers and will be easy to integrate into a lab.

A paper on the Smart Stirrer was published in ACS Sensors.