Why Seneye Sensors is banking on the Commodification of the Sensor Mark

Mass adoption happens when a product solves a widespread problem and becomes accessible to users. Take the mobile phone industry for example, early mobile phones were groundbreaking but bulky and impractical. Due to demand, technology evolved, shifting from analogue landlines to digital mobile networks—making communication cheaper, easier, and universal.

A similar transformation is now happening in the water quality monitoring sector, where the potential to shift from traditional Ion-Selective Electrode (ISE) probes to innovative optical sensors is paving the way for a more scalable and cost-effective future.

The Commodification of Sensor Technology
Commoditisation makes proprietary technology generic, while commodification makes unsellable products accessible. In the sensor market, this means transforming complex, high-maintenance instruments into user-friendly, widely deployable solutions. ISE probes have long been the standard, but their need for wet calibration, high costs, and complex operation have limited scalability. The sensor market now faces a transformation, much like analogue telephones in the 1990s.

Water quality monitoring is evolving in response to increasing regulatory scrutiny from the UK Environment Agency (EA) and DEFRA. Section 82 of the Environment Act 2021 mandates real-time monitoring of key water parameters, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity ammonia, of over 143,738 pipes licensed to release sewage.

For decades, regulators like the EA have monitored nontoxic ammonium rather than toxic ammonia (NH3), not by choice but due to technological limitations. The UK government has long acknowledged that "Ammonia is toxic and can kill or harm aquatic life, including fish," yet traditional sensors have been unable to measure it directly and at the low levels required to protect ecosystems.

Large-scale monitoring of these critical parameters is urgently needed, and innovation the only way to achieve this.

Seneye’s Role in the Market Transformation
Seneye has spent 15 years developing IoT optical sensors for aquatic monitoring, delivering cost-effective, multi-parameter solutions that uniquely measure free ammonia (NH3) at unprecedented low levels. Seneye’s devices are used by home aquarists, public aquariums, and scientific researchers worldwide.

With the 2021 Environment Act, Seneye expanded its mission from aquariums to rivers. Unlike traditional ISE sensors prone to drift and interference, Seneye’s optical system operates within complete colour spaces, eliminating the need for costly and complicated wet recalibrations and specialised expertise whilst providing accuracy in both fresh and salt water. Designed for ease of use and large-scale deployment, Seneye makes real-time water quality monitoring accessible, scalable and more reliable.

With industry-leading ammonia sensitivity, Seneye’s technology detects ammonia levels as low as 0.001ppm—precision chosen due to its origins in fish protection, making it an ideal solution for safeguarding aquatic ecosystems with over 50,000 users already benefit from this advanced level of detection.

Seneye Sensor Buoy – uploading critical parameters every 15 minutes.

The Evolution of the Sensor Market: From Experts to Everyone
Time after time industries evolve from complex, expensive solutions to simplified, widespread adoption. The sensor market is following this path, moving from specialist instruments for scientists to accessible tools for government agencies, conservationists, and citizen scientists. To meet the growing demand for environmental monitoring, the industry must embrace sensor commodification.

Seneye is driving this transformation by removing technical and cost barriers, making water quality data accessible to all. Just as mobile phones evolved from luxury items to everyday essentials, sensors must follow suit—turning environmental protection into an achievable goal for everyone. By leading this shift, Seneye is not just innovating but redefining how we monitor and protect water courses, ensuring technology serves both regulators and the environment.