I-Corps: Chemical sensors for airborne detection

这个I-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是使机载化学传感器比现有技术更小，更轻，成本更低。 这里开发的设备可以在超轻型无人机上，在可穿戴技术中以及在当前技术不适合或过于昂贵的小空间中实现低功耗化学传感。 全球化学传感器市场，包括国防（化学武器，爆炸物），国内安全/急救人员（阿片类药物，炸弹探测，呼吸传感器）和工业卫生（有毒工业化学品）部门，年收入超过50亿美元，有毒气体传感器代表15亿美元。 由于尺寸和重量的优势，该项目将服务于国防、国内安全和第一反应部门的市场。该I-Corps项目进一步开发了交流阻抗技术，以检测定制设计的传感器材料的介电变化。 调整探头频率以针对特定的化学相互作用，使我们的传感器更具选择性：例如，可以选择探头频率以避免环境干扰，例如通常仅表现出低频（100 Hz）阻抗变化的水蒸气。 与类似性能的器件相比，该方法允许用更少的探针元件实现更大的选择性，允许可以更小且以更低成本制造的更简单的器件。 该项目将频率选择纳入一个设备，使用一个交叉指型电容器覆盖薄膜的比色材料。 该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is to enable airborne chemical sensors that are smaller, lighter, and lower cost than existing technology. The devices developed here enable low-power chemical sensing on ultralight drones, in wearable technology, and in small spaces where current technology would not fit or would be prohibitively expensive. The global chemical sensors market, including defense (chemical weapons, explosives), domestic security/first responders (opioids, bomb detection, breath sensors) and industrial hygiene (toxic industrial chemicals) sectors, produces more than $5B in annual revenue, with toxic gas sensors representing $1.5B. This project looks serve markets in the defense, domestic security, and first response sectors due to the size and weight advantages.This I-Corps project further develops an alternating current impedance technology to detect dielectric changes in custom designed sensor materials. Tuning the probe frequency to target specific chemical interactions allows our sensor to be more selective: For instance, probe frequencies can be chosen to avoid environmental interference, such as water vapor which typically manifests only low-frequency (100Hz) impedance changes. The method allows greater selectivity with fewer probe elements, allowing simpler devices that can be made smaller, and at lower cost, compared to devices of similar performance. The project incorporates frequency selection into a device that uses an interdigitated capacitor with overlaid thin film of colorimetric material. A microcontroller controls input, feedback, and an impedance analyzer for continuous measurements at targeted frequencies.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.