SBIR Phase I: An automated software for dimensional analysis of nanomaterials from electron microscopy images

这个小企业创新研究第一阶段项目将进一步开发一个新的软件包，用于根据电子显微镜图像对纳米材料进行自动尺寸分析。纳米材料手动尺寸分析的艰巨任务是新兴纳米技术产业、纳米技术研究和开发以及纳米技术相关政府项目成功的重大障碍。目前的手动分析方法缓慢而乏味，会引入人为错误，并且没有可追溯的标准或程序。该项目的创新之处在于所提出的软件的特定于应用的设计以及将增强用户体验和对结果的理解的特殊功能。第一阶段提案的主要目标是完善和验证用于自动直径和长度测量以及自校准的算法和软件例程。将通过将自动测量结果与传统手动测量结果进行比较来进行验证。 “绳状”和球状纳米材料样品的图像将用于这项研究，然后使用金纳米颗粒尺寸标准进行校准。该提案的预期结果是一个非常适合纳米材料尺寸分析的软件包：快速、可靠且易于使用。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是通过节省时间和金钱并减少纳米材料尺寸分析过程中的错误来促进新兴纳米技术行业的发展。对工业的商业影响将是纳米材料制造商和纳米技术设备生产商的更大盈利能力，他们将使用该软件包对其产品进行严格但具有成本效益的尺寸质量控制。此外，拟议的软件包将通过建立第一个通用标准化尺寸分析程序来促进纳米材料供应链的信任。最终软件的目标市场还包括纳米技术研究设施，下一代纳米技术科学家和工程师使用所提议的软件将产生教育影响。 纳米材料和纳米技术的监管也将受益于该软件提供的可追溯性和可靠性，并且由于改进的纳米材料质量控制，这将促进公众对纳米技术的更大接受和信任。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will further develop a new software package for automatic dimensional analysis of nanomaterials from electron microscopy images. The difficult task of manual dimensional analysis of nanomaterials is a significant barrier to the success of the emerging nanotechnology industry, nanotechnology research and development, and nanotechnology-related government programs. The current methods of manual analysis are slow and tedious, introduce human errors and have no traceable standards or procedures. The innovation of this project lies in the application-specific design of the proposed software and the special features that will enhance the user's experience and understanding of the results. The main objectives of this Phase I proposal are the refinement and validation of algorithms and software routines for automated diameter and length measurements, and self-calibration. Validations will be conducted by comparison of the automatic measurement results with those from traditional manual measurements. Images of samples in the form of both "string-shaped" and spheroid nanomaterials will be used for this research and then calibrated using gold nanoparticles size standards. The anticipated result of this proposal is a software package that is well suited for nanomaterials dimensional analysis: fast, reliable, and easy to use. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is its facilitation of the emerging nanotechnology industry by saving time and money and reducing errors during dimensional analysis of nanomaterials. The commercial impact to industry will be greater profitability for nanomaterial manufacturers and nanotechnology device producers, which will use the software package to conduct rigorous but cost-effective dimensional quality control on their products. Additionally, the proposed software package will foster trust along the nanomaterials supply chain by establishing the first universal standardized dimensional analysis procedure. The target market for the final software also includes nanotechnology research facilities, where an educational impact will result from the use of the proposed software by the next generation of nanotechnology scientists and engineers. Regulation of nanomaterials and nanotechnology will also benefit from the traceability and reliability afforded by this software, and this will facilitate greater public acceptance and trust of nanotechnology, stemming from improved nanomaterials quality control.