Meta-Smart: Merging de novo designed biomolecules with plasmonic metamaterials for new technologies

在我们生活的世界里，个人可以前所未有地获得有关其环境、健康和福祉的数据。这包括从健身手环提供的信息到每个家庭都有的智能电表。然而，与自然界的感官能力相比，我们目前的能力相形见绌。例如，目前还没有一种技术可以与西班牙猎犬嗅出违禁品的能力相媲美。以超灵敏度复制大自然探测大量刺激的能力仍然是科幻小说的领域。在自然感觉系统中，通常由刺激引起的分子结构（受体分子）的变化是由复杂的生物结构检测和传播的。虽然化学家可以模拟受体分子的功能，但复杂生物成分的功能是将这种结构变化转换并传播为可用的信号，这对复制来说是一个挑战。我们提出了一个新的概念Meta-Smart，其中保留了最初的分子传感事件，但生物结构的功能被工程纳米制造结构（超材料）复制。实际上，这种超材料放大了化学信号，将其转化为易于检测的反应。从自然界获得灵感，手性的性质将被用来有效地统一生物大分子和超材料的性质。为了展示Meta-Smart概念的变革潜力，我们将构建生物启发的化学和光传感设备。

We live in a world in which individuals have unprecedented access to data on their environment, health and wellbeing. This ranges from information provided by fitness bands, to the energy smart meters that are found in every home. However, our current capabilities pale when compared to the sensory abilities found in Nature. For, instance no technology has been developed that can rival the ability of a spaniel for sniffing out contraband. To replicate Nature's capabilities to detect a vast array of stimuli with ultra-sensitivity is still in the realms of science fiction. In natural sensory systems, typically a change in molecular structure (in a receptor molecule) induced by a stimulus, is detected and propagated by a complex biological architecture. While chemists can mimic the function of receptor molecules, it is the functionality of complex biological component to convert and propagate this structural change into a useable signal that is a challenge to replicate. We propose a new concept Meta-Smart, where the initial molecular sensing event is retained, but the functionality of the biological architecture is replicated by an engineered nanofabricated structure (metamaterial). In effect the metamaterial amplifies the chemical signal, converting it into a readily detectible response. Taking inspiration from Nature, the property of chirality will be utilised to effectively unify biomacromolecular and metamaterial properties. To demonstrate the transformative potential of the Meta-Smart concept we will build bio-inspired chemo- and photosensing devices.