NSF Convergence Accelerator Track L: Field-Ready Sensing Device for Early-Stage Infectious Diseases

人类健康与动物和生态系统的健康密切相关。不受控制的传染病可以毁灭动物种群并传播给人类，造成严重的社会经济破坏。COVID-19大流行是最近的一个例子，说明疾病如何改变我们所知的地球上每个角落的生活。人们普遍认识到，加强对人畜共患病原体的监测是保护人类和动物健康以及预防下一次大流行的基础。拟议的工作将加速经济实惠的智能电子鼻系统的开发，该系统能够使用动物和人类的挥发性代谢物来识别疾病。我们将利用快速原型和协作网络的使用，生产一种便携式、低成本、高性能的电子鼻设备，用于各种现场环境的部署。通过这样做，与动物和人类打交道的专业人员将能够实时识别病毒感染，从而能够迅速采取干预措施，最大限度地减少疾病传播。该项目的成果将通过扩大STEM中代表性不足的群体的参与，超越电子鼻技术的社会影响。该项目将为研究生和本科生、K-12劳动力发展、公众参与科学以及行业专业人员培训提供研究机会。它对资源不足的社区尤其有影响，因为那里的疾病通常没有得到充分诊断。拟议的工作将开发一种便携式智能电子鼻系统，用于检测动物和人类样本（例如粪便，尿液和唾液）中与高后果传染病相关的挥发性代谢物。我们对这项技术的目标是加快我们在个人和人群中快速检测特定疾病的能力，从而最大限度地减少应对和控制传染病初期爆发所需的时间。在第一阶段，将制造传感器系统并对其进行培训，以检测禽流感病毒感染，然后在第二阶段检测家畜和野生动物以及人类的其他感染。通过缺陷工程和纳米工程传感材料，将实现低检测限、多样化的传感数据。高维传感数据将通过单独调制加热温度和照明波长和强度来收集。机器学习模型将确定灵敏度值以及最佳温度和照明的轮廓。物理和化学传感器阵列将与嵌入式电子设备集成，以减小整体尺寸，重量，功率和成本。将利用开源电子原型平台以最小的开发成本实现快速原型和制造。该项目提出的进展将重新定义支持数据-信息-知识途径的技术，并加速将基本测量转化为可操作情报的过程。该设备具有实际的、挽救生命的应用，通过提供实时监测，补充了传统的疾病预防和管理方法。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Human health is strongly linked with the health of animals and our ecosystems. Uncontrolled infectious diseases can devastate animal populations and be transmitted to humans, causing significant socioeconomic disruptions. The COVID-19 pandemic is a recent example of how disease can alter life as we know it on every corner of the planet. It is widely recognized that enhanced surveillance for zoonotic pathogens is foundational to protection of human and animal health, and prevention of the next pandemic. The proposed work will accelerate the development of an affordable intelligent E-nose system capable of using volatile metabolites from animals and humans to identify diseases. We will leverage the use of rapid prototyping and collaboration networks to produce a portable, low-cost, high-performance E-nose device for deployment in various field environments. By doing so, professionals working with animals and humans will be able to identify viral infections in real time, allowing for expeditious interventions to minimize disease transmission. The outcomes of the project will reach beyond the societal impact of the E-nose technology by broadening participation of underrepresented groups in STEM. This project will provide research opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students, K-12 workforce development, public engagement with science, and training of industry professionals. It will be particularly impactful in under-resourced communities where diseases are commonly underdiagnosed. The proposed work will develop a portable and intelligent E-nose system to detect volatile metabolites associated with high consequence infectious diseases in animal and human samples (e.g., feces, urine, and saliva). Our goal for this technology is to accelerate our ability to rapidly detect specific diseases in both individuals and populations, thereby minimizing the time required for responding to and controlling incipient outbreaks of infectious diseases. During Phase I, the sensor system will be fabricated and trained to detect infection by avian influenza viruses, followed by the detection of other infections in domestic and wild animals and humans in Phase II. Diverse sensing data with superior low detection limit will be achieved through defect- and nano-engineering sensing materials. High dimensional sensing data will be collected by individual modulated heating temperature and illumination wavelength and intensity. A machine-learning model will determine the sensitivity value and the profiles for optimum temperature and illumination. Physical and chemical sensor array will be integrated with embedded electronics to reduce the overall Size, Weight, Power and Cost profile. Open-source electronic prototyping platforms will be utilized to achieve rapid prototyping and manufacturing with minimum development cost. The advances proposed by this project will redefine technologies that support the data–information–knowledge pathway and accelerate the process of turning basic measurements into actionable intelligence. This device has practical, life-saving applications that complement conventional approaches to disease prevention and management by providing real-time monitoring.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.