The Boundary Blade, a patented 5-level fence tester and pocket knife agricultural tool, is the brainchild of Aidan Murphy.
The new product allows farmers to check electric fence current easily and “walk away with their mind at ease”.
Murphy launched Boundary Blade in August 2021, having progressed to production with Enterprise Ireland’s backing, after being awarded the Competitive Start Fund in 2021.
Boundary Blade
In an interview with That’s Farming editor, Catherina Cunnane, the software developer explained how the innovative product came about:
“An iPhone project led me to investigate the possibility of having a pocket fence tester app. It is just not really possible without an add-on or some sort of device to get accuracy. The next best thing for farmers to carry is a pocket knife and so the idea was born.”
“Conventional fence testers are bulky. Invariably, they are on the tractor, in the jeep or back at the workshop, never to hand.”
“This innovative device has removed the awkward size and bulk of existing fence testers with no grounding cable required and an ability to utilise tracking and safety technology.”
“This is a five-level fence tester and pocket knife tool for farmers. It is easy to check currents with six bright LED indicators and a useful bolt turner on the blade.”
“It allows farmers to check the current in their fence easily – you can walk away knowing that your animals are safe; they are secure, and the perimeters are secure. You simply hold the unit in line with the fence and press the button on the front to get a reading.”
The product casing material is TPU plastic with a steel blade and its own double-sided printed circuit board, with components especially designed and developed to fit inside an ultra-small space.
All are patch low-power components and use small size button batteries compared to other tools, which utilise single-sided PCB designs and 9v batteries.
Target market
The initial target market for this product is a farmer using electrical fences to manage livestock in pasture-based systems.
Boundary Blade®, however, he believes, offers “a truly global opportunity” with exports accounting for approximately 30% of sales. The product is now used globally in New Zealand, Canada, South Africa, the UK, and Norway, amongst others countries.
In South Africa, Boundary Blade® is an essential tool for rapid response teams to carry and for their checks on perimeter walls as part of patrol tasks.
“Security is a priority for businesses and residents globally. They can randomly check voltage due to power inconsistency from the national grid or tampering at the touch of a button.”
“Feedback has been great so far. There is phenomenal demand for it – everybody just seems to love it, with the simplicity, in particular, getting noticed.”
“We can also offer customised branded units and campaigns for organisations who may be interested, with Glanbia coming on board.”
“Several thousand units have now been sold, tested, ordered and shipped across the world. However, when Covid-19 hit, the factor we had originally engaged with went out of business. We had to source a new factory, contacts and start all over again.”
Purchase
You can purchase the tool directly online at www.boundaryblade.com or for co-ops and retailers through or exclusive distributor – Forcefield Active Technology in Ireland – for €29.99 (including VAT).
“We are hoping to now get to HPSU status with the help and support of Enterprise Ireland and private investment,” he added.
“Furthermore, we plan to continue to scale the business, working with distributors in each country. Lastly, we also have a version two of the product planned for release next year that we are very excited about,” he concluded.
See its South African perimeter security video, which shows the difference in landscapes and uses for farmers across the globe:
