Inspectahire recognised as a finalist for Innovation of the Year at the Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards 2026
The nomination reflects something genuinely transformational for Scotland’s whisky industry.
The Ultrasonic Dipstick revolutionises cask management through non-invasive ultrasonic measurement technology. Instead of moving or opening casks, the device uses a pulse-echo ultrasonic principle to calculate liquid volume externally — preserving cask integrity while delivering highly accurate inventory monitoring
For distilleries, it means:
No disruption to the ageing process
Reduced contamination risk
Improved warehouse efficiency
Greater safety
Enhanced product consistency
Accurate, repeatable volume measurement
By coupling a transducer to the external surface of the cask and using time-of-flight analysis to calculate depth, the system avoids issues traditionally caused by wood attenuation and stave variability
It’s been validated through incremental volume calibration testing — meaning this isn’t just clever engineering; it’s practical, deployable innovation.
The Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards celebrate collaboration that delivers real economic and environmental impact for Scotland. This technology does exactly that — combining engineering expertise, industry insight, and applied research to support one of Scotland’s most iconic sectors.
Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards 2026 finalists revealed
Now in its 11th year, the Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards, organised by Interface, shine a spotlight on innovative partnerships between business, the third sector, the public sector and academia.
The awards recognise and reward exceptional collaborations that deliver economic, environmental and social benefits for Scotland.
Stirling, on 19th March.
Innovation of the Year finalists – sponsored by Marks & Clerk
Inspectahire Instrument Co. Ltd and University of Strathclyde
St Giles’ Cathedral and University of Glasgow
Seluna Ltd and University of Glasgow
Sentinel and University of Strathclyde
