Heard on Twitter of a CoffeeNotes App Kickstarter that has an add-on feature that will reportedly perform grind particle analysis by smartphone camera. The video makes it look like the app will predict extraction based on knowing the grind size.

I was talking to Jim Schulman about this sort of thing at the HB Leverpalooza at Gary's place, showing him the 500 and 1000 micro ball bearings I'd picked up and taped to the back of a business card to try and use for grind size comparison, not sure if this is the answer, but it's interesting.

It might be useful for dialing in hand grinders like my Kyocera and Hario Slim to the same grind size after taking them apart to clean the burrs.

I'm focusing on the grind size particle analysis, but it looks like there's also a social, data sharing component as well.

Wow if this thing can really do a grind analysis then it will be worth its weight in gold. It will be very interesting to see how this stacks up against the 10,000+ dollar machines.

I went in on this, we'll see if it pans out. The only other Kickstarter I jumped on was the Impress brewer which turned out rather well.

It looks like the app intends to do a particle distribution analysis, but use that just to come up with an average grind size to use for calculating brew strength. We'll see.

Where is the proof the method actually works? They are asking for funding to develop the app, not the basic science behind the grind particle size analysis. A small sample of extraction yield tests would show whether it produces meaningful results.

The way things are worded is disappointing. Assuming it does works, it seem to charge per analysis, or offer a set number of analysis per package, per use/users.

My understanding is that the app is mostly finished for Android, after a year of self-funded work and the Kickstarter is to finish of the Android app and hopefully if enough people get onboard, develop an IOS app as well.

There is a kickstarter reward level at $30 that offers limited grind size analysis in a written report... it sounds like you'll send in photos and they'll send back a report, but I did not see anything to indicate that the $50 level reward was limited in any way, you'd presumably be able to perform your own unlimited grind partical analysis. That's my read, at least.