— The Irrigation Association is pleased to announce the winners of the 2018 New Product Contest at the Irrigation Show and Education Conference in Long Beach, California, Dec. 3-7, 2018.
Fifty-eight new products and technologies were entered in five categories. Products were evaluated based on innovation, design quality, increased water/resource-use efficiency, ease of use and product life expectancy. Contest judges were experienced professionals with technical knowledge and industry expertise. The winners were announced Thursday, Dec. 6, during the IA general session.
The winner of the agriculture irrigation category is the S7 Spinner by Nelson Irrigation. The S7 Spinner is the first spinning microsprinkler to use flow-control nozzles. These nozzles deliver the same flow rate over a range of pressure by reducing the orifice size as pressure increases, while also including quick-clean technology and full modularity.
The winner of the agriculture specialty category is the Arable Mark by Arable. The Arable Mark is an “internet of things”-enabled irrigation management tool, weather station and crop monitor all in one. Utilizing a seven-band spectrometer and an acoustic disdrometer, the easy-to-use solar-powered device collects over 40 relevant plant and climate data streams.
The winner of the landscape irrigation category is the FLOMEC QS200 Insertion Ultrasonic Flowmeter by Great Plains Industries. The QS200 has no moving parts and utilizes ultrasonic technology to measure flow instead of simply sensing it. It offers LED indication of power and flow activity and retrofits into Data Industrial PVC tees.
The winner of the landscape specialty category is the TreeDiaper 36" Advanced Hydration Mat by Ecoturf Midwest Inc. The TreeDiaper uses super-absorbent polymers and a unique design to manage and store water more efficiently for new tree, bush and shrub plantings. It also works as a weed barrier and frost protection blanket, while targeting the area away from a tree’s trunk to encourage healthy root growth.
The winner of the landscape lighting category is the WiFi Smart MR-16 and PAR-36 lamps by Brilliance LED. The WiFi Smart lamps are 100 percent controllable from a smart phone, either individually or grouped into zones. Users are able to change colors, dim and set timers from anywhere in the world.
