In this episode, we talk about how MIT has built a magic carpet to avoid privacy concerns with human body tracking, an initiative from Texas A&amp;M to track nanoparticles in produce, and the novel approach from Carnegie Mellon to turn household items into sensors. As always, you can find these and other interesting &amp; impactful engineering articles on Wevolver.com.&nbsp;<iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/822298b9-36db-465c-a645-759904d95e7a?dark=false" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe> <h3 id="isPasted">EPISODE NOTES</h3>Take a few seconds to leave us a review. It really helps! <a href="https://apple.co/2RIsbZ2" target="_blank">https://apple.co/2RIsbZ2</a> if you do it and send us proof, we’ll give you a shoutout on the show.(1:30) - The Magic Carpet: &nbsp;MIT researchers have created a carpet with thousands of sensors to monitor pressure changes from people’s movement. The data is then fed into a machine learning algorithm that can estimate someone’s 3D positioning with a 97% accuracy.(8:40) - Detecting Nanoparticles in Food: &nbsp;Nanoparticles have been used increasingly in the farming industry and people are becoming more concerned about how much makes its way into produce. Researchers at Texas A&amp;M made a machine learning model to predict how much might be in the food you eat.(14:30) - Fabric-Friendly Sensors: &nbsp;Ever wanted the electronics in your home to do what you want without you actually having to do anything? Carnegie Mellon researchers have created a sensing system which can be seamlessly integrated into your couch, blanket, or any other fabric.--About the podcast:Every day, some of the most innovative universities, companies, and individual technology developers share their knowledge on Wevolver. To ensure we can also provide this knowledge for the growing group of podcast listeners, we started a collaboration with two young engineers, Daniel Scott Mitchell &amp; Farbod Moghaddam who discuss the most interesting content in this podcast series.&nbsp;To learn more about this show, please visit the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" target="_blank">shows page</a>. By following the page, you will get automatic updates by email when a new show is published.Be sure to give us a follow and review on&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/nl/podcast/the-next-byte/id1548255861?l=en" target="_blank">Apple</a> podcasts,&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6lPPsRtegnivsRUEsQ09R7?si=IPMiah7xT_apJtPjqvXMlA" target="_blank">Spotify</a>, and most of your favorite podcast platforms!

In this episode, we talk about how MIT has built a magic carpet to avoid privacy concerns with human body tracking, an initiative from Texas A&M to track nanoparticles in produce, and the novel approach from Carnegie Mellon to turn household items into sensors.

Podcast: MIT's Magic Carpet, Nanoparticles in Your Food, Turning Fabric into Smart Devices

This article was discussed in our <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte&source=gmail&ust=1640817319915000&usg=AOvVaw2nPRdRwJrXSYYeM9RCFu5x" href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" id="isPasted" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Next Byte podcast</a>.&nbsp;<iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/b5add957-dddc-4c76-afd3-be64df45c069?dark=false" class="fr-draggable"></iframe>The full article will continue below.<hr><h2>The Idea</h2>The University of Manchester developed a new material–concretene–which uses a graphene additive to achieve higher strength than traditional concrete. They recently started testing the material for use in building foundations through a partnership with Nationwide Engineering.<h2>The Innovation</h2>Concretene is very similar to concrete except that during the cement-mixing process, a small amount of graphene (&lt;0.5% by weight) is added. Graphene is a two-dimensional carbon material which possesses extreme mechanical strength. Its incorporation during the mixing process enables stronger binding at the molecular level, leading to an end product that is 30% stronger than traditional concrete. &nbsp;<h2>The Motivation</h2>Stronger concrete is simply the means to an end because the real goal is to reduce carbon dioxide emissions associated with concrete production and transportation. Concrete is the most widely used building material and it accounts for 8% of global CO2 emissions. For context, if concrete were a country, it would be the third biggest CO2 emitter worldwide, behind only China and the United States. &nbsp; <div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjIyNDg0MzUxODI5LUNoYXJ0Mi5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Image 1. Carbon dioxide emissions by business sector (Source:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ecori.org/climate-change/2019/10/4/global-warming-has-a-co2ncrete-problem" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ecori.org)</a><h2 class="fr-img-space-wrap2">The Impact</h2></div>Because concretene is stronger than traditional concrete, a builders using it needs less material to build the same structure. This results in a decrease in both concrete production and transportation. A global supply chain analyst noted that if every builder in the world were to adopt concretene use, the carbon dioxide emissions associated with concrete would drop ~25% (from 8% to 6% of the global share).The best part is that concretene is non-disruptive: construction crews won’t need any special training or equipment to make it. They simply incorporate the graphene additive during the cement-mixing stage and the rest of the process is the same as using traditional concrete.It’s important to note that concretene costs ~5% more than traditional concrete per unit mass, but since less total concretene material is necessary, the concrete-associated costs of most construction projects can be reduced by 10-20% when using concretene.<h2 dir="ltr">The Adaptation</h2>Nationwide Engineering poured the first concretene foundation for a gym in Amesbury, Wiltshire, UK this past month. Wide-scale implementation will take time but the clear financial advantage and increasing pressures to reduce CO2 emissions may act as a catalyst for accelerated adoption of concretene technology. <div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjIyNDgzNjMyNDA3LWdlaWN0ZWFtb25zaXRlYXRhbWVzYnVyeWNyb3AuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 529px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Image 2. The team laying the foundation for the gym in Amesbury, Wiltshire (Source: University of Manchester)&nbsp;</div>&nbsp;

The team laying the foundation for the gym in Amesbury, Wiltshire (Source: University of Manchester)

Researchers at Manchester University have developed a stronger form of concrete capable of driving down construction costs while substantially decreasing its environmental impact

Meet The New Concrete: Concretene

Julio Aleman, a Bioengineering PhD student at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering is performing research in microphysiological systems.Like many researchers, Aleman needed a microwell array system with individual wells that have a specific size, shape and density. In fact, Aleman needed two different microwell arrays that would support the injection moulding of hydrogels and serve as “master moulds” – the original moulds that he could replicate. In turn, these replicate moulds would be used for microwell fabrication. <img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1605869692139-PittsburghCaseStudy2.png">Hydrogel mould of 484-microwell arrayTo produce master moulds like this, photolithography (optical lithography or UV lithography) is often used. The process begins by spin coating a negative photoresist on a wafer to establish mould thickness and microwell depth. Photopatterning is achieved by light exposure through specialised high-resolution masks and finalised by chemical development of the master mould. Then, replicas of the master mould are made by casting pre-polymers over the negative template and polymerising them by thermal curing.Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) silicone is the biocompatible polymer that is most often used. Typically, the production of master moulds and masks requires specialised facilities and equipment. Micro-injection moulding can also produce master moulds, but the tooling is expensive and time-consuming to produce. <h1>An Alternative to Clean Room Photolithographic and Injection Moulding</h1>Projection Micro Stereolithography (PμSL) from Boston Micro Fabrication (BMF) allows for the rapid photo-polymerisation of a layer of resin with a flash of ultraviolet (UV) light at micro-scale resolution. PμSL offers an alternative to photosoft lithography, etching, deposition, micro-injection moulding, and other traditional microfabrication methods.PμSL, a form of micro 3D printing, can produce small components with fine features and tight tolerances that are otherwise impossible to create. PμSL is capable of achieving a resolution of 2µm~50µm and a tolerance of +/- 5µm~25µm, thus providing ultra-high-resolution that is mould-free and mask-free for fast prototyping and end-use parts.  <h1>Project Requirements for Two Master Moulds</h1>The University of Pittsburgh project needed master moulds for replicate silicone moulds that, in turn, would be used to make biomaterial-based microwells. Normally, master moulds require a cleanroom and can be challenging to characterise. Researchers can’t perform profilometer measurements until the moulds are baked, and a mould with the wrong dimensions means lost time and money.Julio Aleman’s project required fast turnaround times and high-volume production. Accuracy, resolution, and precision were critically important. Several PDMS replicas that were cured at 80° Celsius were needed and the repeated processes on the master mould had to have little to no impact on the dimensions while the master mould was also securely fixed in a substrate. Aleman knew that he would need moulds in two different sizes, and that the silicone moulds should allow for the bottoms of the hydrogel micro-wells to have constant and defined amounts of biomaterial once injected and polymerized onto a glass slide. After some preliminary discussions, he ordered parts from BMF.The master moulds that the University of Pittsburgh asked BMF to produce were square with a defined hole–pattern. The first mould was for a 64-microwell array. It had an overall area of 20 mm x 20 mm and a thickness of 1.65 mm. The diameter for each hole and the distance between holes was 600 microns, or 0.6 mm, and the base of each of the microwells had a height of 50 microns from the surface. The second mould was for a 484-microwell array. The overall area was the same as for the first mould (20 mm x 20 mm), but the thickness for the second mould was significantly less at 1 mm. There were also more holes – and the holes were smaller. These wells measured just 150 microns, or 0.15 mm, in diameter with a similar base height of 50 microns.3D printed mould for 64-microwell array<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1605869775020-PittsburghCaseStudy3.png">3D printed mould for 64-microwell array<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1605869800497-PittsburghCaseStudy4.png">3D printed mould for 484-microwell array<h1>Expert Advice and Flexible Material Selection</h1>BMF’s application team reviewed the designs for the University of Pittsburgh moulds. They recommended increasing the thickness of the second mould to greater than 1 mm. Otherwise, a mould that is too thin may experience part distortion or internal stresses during the printing process. Aleman revised the thickness and BMF then created sample parts using GR resin, a high-performance engineering material that is black in colour, able to withstand temperatures up to 102°C, and that supports sterilising.Because the COVID-19 pandemic limited Aleman’s access to university facilities, the graduate researcher limited his mould evaluation to microscopy. In turn, this meant that parts made of a dark resin would be more difficult to inspect. To support microscopic techniques, Aleman needed a resin that would allow more light to pass through so that the features of the resin mould could be more clearly seen. The solution was to use an HLT resin instead. This yellow resin from BMF offers greater transparency but still provides good impact strength, heat resistance, and support for autoclave sterilisation.<h1> </h1><h1>Speed, Accuracy and More</h1>&nbsp;Julio Aleman was pleased with the quick lead time – the moulds were delivered in just two weeks. Instead of waiting months to get a single injection-mould, he could provide a master mould to each member of the research team. The moulds also exhibited dimensional stability and, unlike spin coating in photolithography, did not require multiple fabrication steps. After hard baking some master moulds in an oven overnight, Aleman attached them to a surface with double-sided electrical tape. The moulds experienced only a 10 to 20-micrometre reduction in size, and that may have been caused by pressing the moulds against the surface or the tape while the moulds were still malleable from baking.Aleman also reported that after approximately 10 cycles of PDMS moulding, the BMF master moulds did not exhibit any bending or deformation. To prevent sticking, the replicate moulds were salinated with Vapor Phase Deposition (VPD). This treatment, which is also used with the SU8 moulds in photolithography, permitted the easy detachment of the PDMS moulds from the BMF master moulds. Aleman reported that the master mould with the larger features was easily salinated over one hour of exposure while the mould with smaller features required five hours or overnight exposure.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1605869860170-PittsburghCaseStudy5.png">PDMS replica of 64-microwell array<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1605869888883-PittsburghCaseStudy6.png">PDMS replica of 484-microwell array<h1> </h1><h1>Proof-of-Concept for Your Next Project&nbsp;</h1>As the University of Pittsburgh project demonstrates, researchers can use micro 3D printing to speed microwell array fabrication. If your application requires proof-of-concept parts such as master moulds, BMF can harness the power of PμSL technology on your behalf. We can also help you with material selection and recommend the best microArch printer from our growing family of ultra-high resolution 3D printers.In an exclusive partnership with BMF, CREATE Education are sharing their knowledge, support and experience, to bring micro 3D printing technology to the forefront of their education community in the UK and Ireland, enabling breakthrough research and development.CREATE Education are committed to supporting educators, educational institutions, outreach and community programs with the aim to bring cutting edge technologies throughout the world, such as 3D printers, into education.To learn more about PμSL technology and micro 3D Printing for research, please contact <a href="https://bit.ly/ContactCREATEEd" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CREATE Education’s specialists</a>.

Julio Aleman, a Bioengineering PhD student needed two different microwell array system with individual wells that would support injection moulding of hydrogels and serve as “master moulds”

University of Pittsburgh Speeds Microwell Fabrication with Micro 3D Printing

Infrared spectroscopy is the benchmark method for detecting and analyzing organic compounds. But it requires complicated procedures and large, expensive instruments, making device miniaturization challenging and hindering its use for some industrial and medical applications and for data collection out in the field, such as for measuring pollutant concentrations. Furthermore, it is fundamentally limited by low sensitivities and therefore requires large sample amounts.However, scientists at EPFL&rsquo;s School of Engineering and at Australian National University (ANU) have developed a compact and sensitive nanophotonic system that can identify a molecule&rsquo;s absorption characteristics without using conventional spectrometry. The scientists have already used their system to detect polymers, pesticides and organic compounds. What&rsquo;s more, it is compatible with CMOS technology.Their system consists of an engineered surface covered with hundreds of tiny sensors called metapixels, which can generate a distinct bar code for every molecule that the surface comes into contact with. These bar codes can be massively analyzed and classified using advanced pattern recognition and sorting technology such as artificial neural networks. This research &ndash; which sits at the crossroads of physics, nanotechnology and big data &ndash; has been published in&nbsp;Science.Translating molecules into bar codes The chemical bonds in organic molecules each have a specific orientation and vibrational mode. It influences the way molecules absorb light, giving each one a unique &ldquo;signature.&rdquo; Infrared spectroscopy detects whether a given molecule is present in a sample by seeing if the sample absorbs light rays at the molecule&rsquo;s signature frequencies. However, such analyses require lab instruments with a hefty size and price tag.The pioneering system developed by the EPFL scientists is both highly sensitive and capable of being miniaturized; it uses nanostructures that can trap light on the nanoscale and thereby provide very high detection levels for samples on the surface. &ldquo;The molecules we want to detect are nanometric in scale, so bridging this size gap is an essential step,&rdquo; says Hatice Altug, head of EPFL&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href="https://bios.epfl.ch/" target="_blank">BioNanoPhotonic Systems Laboratory</a> and a coauthor of the study.The system&rsquo;s nanostructures are grouped into what are called metapixels so that each one resonates at a different frequency. When a molecule comes into contact with the surface, the way the molecule absorbs light changes the behavior of all the metapixels it touches.&ldquo;Importantly, the metapixels are arranged in such a way that different vibrational frequencies are mapped to different areas on the surface,&rdquo; says Andreas Tittl, lead author of the study.This creates a pixelated map of light absorption that can be translated into a molecular bar code &ndash; all without using a spectrometer.&ldquo;Thanks to our sensors&rsquo; unique optical properties, we can generate bar codes even with broadband light sources and detectors,&rdquo; says Aleksandrs Leitis, a coauthor of the study.There are a number of potential applications for this new system. &ldquo;For instance, it could be used to make portable medical testing devices that generate bar codes for each of the biomarkers found in a blood sample,&rdquo; says Dragomir Neshev, another coauthor of the study.Artificial intelligence could be used in conjunction with this new technology to create and process a whole library of molecular bar codes for compounds ranging from protein and DNA to pesticides and polymers. That would give researchers a new tool for quickly and accurately spotting miniscule amounts of compounds present in complex samples.

A new system developed at EPFL can detect and analyze molecules with very high precision and without needing bulky equipment. It opens the door to large-scale, image-based detection of materials aided by artificial intelligence. The research has been published in Science.

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Latest Posts

Podcast: MIT's Magic Carpet, Nanoparticles in Your Food, Turning Fabric into Smart Devices

Meet The New Concrete: Concretene

University of Pittsburgh Speeds Microwell Fabrication with Micro 3D Printing

A nanotech sensor turns molecular fingerprints into bar codes