TRUFON HUNT and TruffleMaps Patent Technology

A patent application has been filed for the technology behind TruffleMaps and TRUFON HUNT. Application number: 2026/014888.

Wording matters: this is a patent application. Its status follows the official records; a filing is not a granted patent.

Where the invention starts

Truffle hunting had two separate worlds. On one side, maps and habitat models: they say "this may be suitable" but do not verify in the field. On the other, field methods: they do not know where to look and struggle on large areas. There was no systematic bridge between them.

The TruffleMaps / TRUFON HUNT invention builds that bridge by combining model, sensor, evidence and feedback in one loop.

Model → Sensor → Evidence → Feedback

• Model — satellite, soil, geology, topography and habitat data produce habitat layers for four species and priority GPS targets. It answers where to look.
• Sensor — TRUFON HUNT performs field detection at the target, accounting for ambient conditions. It answers what is at the target.
• Evidence — every measurement, dig and outcome is recorded with location and time; negative results count too. It answers what happened.
• Feedback — evidence returns to the model and improves the next targets. It answers how to do better next time.

Why it matters

• Target-based discovery: large areas become a short list of field targets.
• Measurable outcomes: success is measured by excavation results — an 85% successful excavation rate based on targeted excavation results in TruffleMaps/TRUFON field work.
• A learning system: every field day feeds back into the model.
• Traceability: every finding has a location and date.

In a real field test, Tuber aestivum was found at all three preselected GPS target locations (field evidence).

The vision

Truffles are among the world's most valuable foods, yet they have been hunted for centuries largely by experience and luck. TruffleMaps aims to turn truffle discovery into a discipline driven by data, sensors and evidence — so landowners can see potential before investing, farms can plan target-based field days, institutions can build auditable inventories, and someone without a dog can hunt truffles with a scientific method.

Inventor

The system was invented and developed by scientist and inventor Cem Merter through field work, software development and technical research. More: about.

FAQ

Is TRUFON HUNT patented? A patent application has been filed; its status follows the official records.

What is the application number? Patent Application No: 2026/014888.

See technology, TRUFON HUNT and the end-to-end workflow in Target on the Map, Detection in the Field, or request access.