I-Corps: Milli-electrode Array as Next Generation Profiling Technology for Biochemical Reaction Systems

这个i-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是应用新开发的一体化毫电极阵列的令人信服的“异质性剖析”和“高空间和时间分辨率”，以解决从水/废水处理装置到食品/药品生物发酵装置等广泛的生化反应系统中的实时监测的迫切需要。微电极阵列作为一种新型的实时原位仿形技术的商业化，将对生化系统市场产生重大影响，特别是获得“从头到脚”的仿形和可视化的生化异质性，这将从根本上改变系统的监测和控制，以最低的资本成本优化系统的运行。I-Corps的资助将使团队更好地了解生化系统市场和消费者的需求，从而最大限度地实现这一新型传感技术的商业成功。i-Corps项目旨在确定毫微电极阵列技术的商业潜力，并探索客户需求。目前，所有的生化废物处理系统(如城市污水、餐厨垃圾和工业废水)都是使用单点探头进行监测的，无法获得系统异质性的整体情况。到2035年，美国将对15,000多个污水处理厂进行改造，开发11,000个厌氧消化系统，能够同时监测多个参数的耐用、廉价的快速传感设备对于以最低的能源消耗实现高处理效率和运行稳定性具有重要意义，从而产生巨大的社会、环境和经济价值。核心微电极阵列技术的创新之处在于在单个柔性薄膜上精确图案化多种毫米尺寸的电极，并能够以高时空分辨率实时绘制多个生化参数的轮廓。与现有的单点传感器相比，最先进的微电极阵列具有突破性的特性：结构坚固，寿命长，测量过程简单，成本低，材料耐用，易于部署和更换，以及时空多参数轮廓。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is to apply the compelling features "heterogeneity profiling" and "high spatial and temporal resolution" of the newly developed all-in-one milli-electrode array to solve the urgent need of real-time monitoring in a broad spectrum of biochemical reaction systems ranging from water/wastewater treatment units to food/pharmaceutical biofermentors. The commercialization of milli-electrode array as a new class of real-time in situ profiling technology will have substantial impacts on biochemical system market, specifically to obtain "head-to-toe" profiling and visualize biochemical heterogeneity, which will fundamentally change system monitoring and control, and optimize system operation at the lowest capital cost. The I-Corps funding will enable the team to establish a better understanding of biochemical system market and the needs of consumers, and thereby, maximizing the commercial success of this novel sensing technology.This I-Corps project aims at determining the commercial potential of milli-electrode array technology and exploring the customer needs. Currently, all the biochemical waste treatment (e.g. municipal wastewater, food waste, and industrial wastewater) systems are monitored using single point probes without obtaining a whole picture of system heterogeneity. With over 15,000 wastewater treatment plants to be retrofitted and 11,000 anaerobic digestion systems to be developed in the US by 2035, durable inexpensive rapid sensing device capable of simultaneously monitoring multiple parameters is of great significance to achieve high treatment efficiency and operational stability at lowest energy consumption, and thus yielding enormous social, environmental, and economic value. The innovation of the core milli-electrode array technology lies in precise patterning multiple types of mm-sized electrodes on a single flexible film and the capability of real-time profiling multiple biochemical parameters at high spatiotemporal resolution. The state of the art milli-electrode array possesses breakthrough properties compared to existing single-point sensors: sturdy configuration with long lifetime, simple measurement procedure, low cost, highly durable material, easy deployment and replacement, and profiling multiple parameters spatiotemporally.