An integrated hybrid system for environmental health applications

本研究的目的是开发一种小型化的机动车尾气排放实时监测系统。该方法是开发一种新型的混合传感器，最大限度地发挥不同传感原理的优势，并将多尺度技术集成到一个完整的系统中，包括智能采样方案、混合传感元件、集成信号处理和无线数据传输。每个组件使用创新的技术来实现其相应的功能，所有组件协同工作。尽管最近出现了许多令人兴奋的使能技术，如单分子检测能力的展示，但在包含数千种干扰化学品和物质的复杂环境中检测和分析痕量化学品仍然是一个挑战。受自然界中存在的嗅觉系统的启发，这项建议旨在建立一种跨越多个长度尺度和跨多个学科的新的混合和综合方法，以开发检测系统。混合和综合方法将使检测系统的构建能够对维护健康的人口、清洁的环境、安全的食品行业和安全的社会产生广泛的潜在影响。该项目将为学生提供寻找紧急环境问题的工程解决方案的研究机会，并将为主要研究人员提供一个独特的机会，开发一门关于集成传感器的跨学科课程。作为推广计划的一部分，将与当地公司建立工业合作伙伴关系，为该项目带来工业设备设计和制造专业知识，并为学生提供暑期实习机会。

The objective of this research is to develop a miniaturized detection system for real-time monitoring of vehicle emissions. The approach is to develop a novel hybrid sensor that maximizes the advantages of different sensing principles, and to integrate multi-scale technologies into a complete system, including an intelligent sampling scheme, hybrid sensing elements, integrated signal processing, and wireless data transmission. Each component uses innovative techniques to achieve its corresponding function, and all the components work together synergistically.In spite of the many recent exciting enabling technologies, such as the demonstration of single molecule detection capability, detecting and analyzing trace chemicals in a complex environment containing thousands of interference chemicals and substances remains a challenge. Inspired by the olfactory system found in nature , this proposal aims to establish a new hybrid and integrative approach spanning multiple length scales and crossing multiple disciplines in order to develop the detection system.The hybrid and integrative approach will enable the construction of a detection system with a broad potential impact on maintaining a healthy population, a clean environment, a safe food industry, and a secure society. the project will provide students with the research opportunities in finding engineering solutions to urgent environmental problems, and will also provide the principal investigators with a unique opportunity to develop an interdisciplinary course on Integrated Sensors. As part of the outreach plan, industrial partnerships will be established with local companies to bring industrial device design and fabrication expertise to the project, and to provide the students with summer internships.