NSF Convergence Accelerator track L: Translating insect olfaction principles into practical and robust chemical sensing platforms

本项目旨在开发一种新型的传感器，可用于传感爆炸性挥发性有机化合物。该传感器将使用昆虫启发的基于纳米颗粒的传感器技术沿着人工智能（AI）。这项工作将是迈向下一代电子鼻技术的第一步，用于非侵入式化学传感，并应用于生物医学，安全，环境监测，气候变化技术以及香料和食品行业。这个融合项目提供了机会，（i）确定化学，物理，生物和数据科学之间的整合途径，以创建可翻译的技术;（ii）为学术界，工业界，国家实验室，非营利组织和其他利益相关者之间增加合作伙伴关系铺平道路。㈢为开发下一代电子鼻奠定基础，这种电子鼻具有大型传感器阵列，并结合了受生物启发的设计和计算原理;以及（iv）培养下一代科学家和企业家。本研究将基于昆虫嗅觉系统中观察到的稳健气味识别的生物传感原理，合成高度可靠和可重复的传感元件。为了解决化学传感领域的关键挑战，拟议的研究将促进两个关键概念的融合：（i）一种可扩展的方法，用于合成具有不同功能的大型纳米结构化学传感器阵列，以及（ii）结合我们在过去15年中在昆虫嗅觉系统中确定的关键传感和人工智能原则。短期目标是制造和展示一种概念验证的便携式AI电子鼻设备，可用于数据收集和验证。将为一组目标化合物建立性能指标，如剂量-反应曲线、检测限、分类性能和接受者工作特征曲线。该奖项反映了NSF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。

This project seeks to develop a novel sensor that can be used for sensing explosive volatile organic compounds. The sensor will use insect-inspired, nanoparticle-based sensor technology along with artificial intelligence (AI). This work will be the initial step towards a the next-generation e-nose technology for non-invasive chemical sensing, with application to biomedicine, security, environmental monitoring, climate change technologies, and the flavor and food industry. This convergence project is providing opportunities to (i) identify avenues of integration between chemical, physical, biological, and data sciences to create a translatable technology; (ii) pave the way for increased partnerships between academia, industry, national labs, nonprofit organization, and other stakeholders; (iii) lay the seeds for the development of the next-generation electronic noses with large sensor arrays and incorporation of biologically inspired design and computing principles; and (iv) train the next generation of scientists and entrepreneurs. This research will synthesize highly reliable and reproducible sensing elements based on biological sensing principles of robust odor recognition observed in an insect-olfactory system. To address the key challenges in the field of chemical sensing, the proposed research will facilitate the convergence of two key concepts: (i) a scalable approach for synthesizing a large nanostructured chemical sensor array with diverse functionality, and (ii) incorporation of key sensing and AI principles that we have identified in the insect olfactory system over the past 15 years. The short-term goal is to fabricate and demonstrate a proof-of-concept, portable AI-enabled e-nose device that can be used for data collection and validation. Performance metrics such as dose-response curves, limit of detection, classification performance, and receiver operating characteristic curves will be established for a panel of targeted compounds. A library of known signatures for various explosive vapors at appropriate concentration ranges (few ppb – tens of ppm) will be generated.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.