Melon Meter: iPhone app that tells watermelon ripeness

Melon Meter is an iPhone app that tells melon ripeness by just knocking on the melon. It’s an innovative way to help everybody from consumers to farmers.

Did you know that up to 60% of watermelons purchased today are either over-ripe or under-ripe? We often see sellers knocking the watermelon before passing it to us and say, “This is good – ripe and juicy!” (and we always buy that). Going back home, we slice it to discover that it is an unripe melon. And yet we can’t return it. What a rip-off!

How does Melon Meter work? It just requires users to place the iPhone microphone near to the watermelon and then thump on a watermelon with consistent pressure and rhythm, and let the app to do its magic. According to the founders, they managed to create an algorithm that analyzes the decay rate of the sound signal produced by thumping a melon. A ripe watermelon should produce a standard decay rate, hence translates to ‘READY’ on Melon Meter.

Melon Meter is another invention by Let There Be Light Innovations (LTBLI), an innovation solution company that already has 4 apps in App Store by now, including Love After Marriage, iStrobeLED and Road Conditions apps. The company was started by two entrepreneurs cum innovators in 2009 and 2010.

The app was launched in July 25th and since its release, it has been ranked #1 Overall in Kuwait, #1 Lifestyle in Kuwait, #1 Lifestyle in Qatar and #1 Lifestyle in Saudi Arabia.

According to the founders, they will release a commercial version of the app very soon, in early October. Melon Meter 1.0 is now available on the App Store for $1.99.