Center for the Advancement of Wearable Technologies (CAWT): Engineered (Bio)Interfaces, Energy Harvesting/Storage and Data Analytics for Health and Diagnostic Monitoring

该项目旨在通过成立可穿戴技术促进中心(CAWT)，在波多黎各(PR)建立可穿戴技术领域的重要研究能力。该中心将建立在先前纳米科学研究活动发展的研究能力的基础上，该活动由NSF建立的激励竞争研究计划(EPSCoR)资助，并由PR EPSCoR办公室管理。CAWT围绕三个目标构建：1)促进生物传感器、便携式电源和存储以及数据分析的基础科学和应用科学；2)为国家可穿戴技术行业提供一支专业和多样化的劳动力队伍；以及3)与PR的医疗设备行业一起刺激经济发展。公关EPSCoR将利用丰富的学术、行业和政府合作伙伴关系网络，为学员提供最先进的设备、研究机会并建立强大的创新生态系统。该项目还将利用公共关系中现有的教育、外展、劳动力发展活动的基础设施，在发展多样化的下一代STEM劳动力方面取得重大进展，使其与司法管辖区的科学优先事项保持良好一致。公关EPSCoR将建立一个可穿戴技术促进中心(CAWT)，以利用司法管辖区在纳米技术方面的研究优势，推动可穿戴技术领域的发展。提供对新型可穿戴设备的轻松访问，这些设备可以感知和监控健康状况，并提供一致、可重复和个性化的医疗信息，这对可穿戴技术行业的持续增长至关重要。可穿戴设备面临三个基本的研发挑战：1)确保功能部件由与最终用户完全兼容的材料制成；2)产生足够和持久的动力；3)更新数据分析，以利用和管理产生的稳定数据流。CAWT因这些挑战而推动其研究议程，因此被组织为三个跨学科研究小组(IRGS)。IRG1专注于光学和电化学传感器、微流体平台的设计，以及与生物材料直接接触的材料成分的表征研究。IRG2的目标是利用现有的低水平能源来驱动低功率可穿戴设备，并研究新的多组分电池材料。IRG3旨在开发大数据工具来解决材料设计问题，并支持IRG1和IRG2项目的实验设计。CAWT寻求建立一个研究议程，创建新的和可持续的研究路线，同时建立一支能够满足当地医疗器械行业需求的劳动力队伍。该项目将实现PR EPSCoR的目标，即建设研究能力，推动可穿戴技术的科学发现，发展训练有素和多样化的科学劳动力，并促进整个地区的经济发展。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project aims to build significant research capacity in Puerto Rico (PR) in the wearable technology field by forming the Center for the Advancement of Wearable Technologies (CAWT). The center will build on the research capacity developed by prior nanoscience research activities funded by the NSF Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) and managed by the PR EPSCoR office. CAWT is structured around three goals: 1) advance the fundamental and applied science of biosensors, portable power and storage, and data analytics; 2) provide an engaged and diverse workforce for the nation's wearable technology sector; and 3) stimulate economic development together with PR's medical device industry. PR EPSCoR will utilize a rich network of academic, industry, and government partnerships to access state-of-the-art equipment, research opportunities for trainees and build a robust innovation ecosystem. The project will also leverage established infrastructure in PR for education, outreach, workforce development activities to make significant strides towards developing a diverse, next-generation STEM workforce that is well-aligned with the science priorities of the jurisdiction. PR EPSCoR will build a Center for the Advancement of Wearable Technologies (CAWT) to leverage the jurisdiction's research strengths in nanotechnology towards advancing the wearable technology field. Providing easy access to new types of wearable devices that sense and monitor health conditions and provide consistent, reproducible, and personalized medical information is essential for continued growth within the wearable technology sector. Wearable devices face three fundamental research and development challenges: 1) ensuring that functional components made of materials that are fully compatible with end users; 2) generating adequate and lasting power; and 3) updating data analytics to utilize and manage steady streams of data generated wearable devices. The CAWT motivates its research agenda by these challenges and is thus organized into three Interdisciplinary Research Groups (IRGs). IRG1 focuses on the design of optical and electrochemical sensors, microfluidic platforms, and characterization studies of materials components that come in direct contact with biological materials. IRG2 aims to harness existing low-level energy sources to drive low-power wearable devices and investigate new multicomponent battery materials. IRG3 aims to develop big data tools to address materials design problems and support the experimental design of projects within IRG1 and IRG2. The CAWT seeks to build a research agenda that creates novel and sustainable research lines while also building up a workforce that can address needs within the local medical device industry. This project will realize PR EPSCoR's goal of building research capacity, advancing scientific discovery in wearable technology, developing a well-trained and diverse scientific workforce, and promoting economic development throughout the region.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.