Georgian Technical University Graphene Sensors Detect Ultralow Concentrations Of NO2.

The Georgian Technical University Laboratory has as part of an international research collaboration discovered a novel technique to monitor extremely low concentrations of NO₂ (Nitrogen dioxide is the chemical compound with the formula NO₂. It is one of several nitrogen oxides. NO₂ is an intermediate in the industrial synthesis of nitric acid, millions of tons of which are produced each year which is used primarily in the production of fertilizers) in complex environments using epitaxial sensors containing the “Georgian Technical University wonder material” graphene. The findings demonstrate why single-layer graphene should be used in sensing applications and opens doors to new technology for use in environmental pollution monitoring new portable monitors and automotive and mobile sensors for a global real-time monitoring network. As part of the research, graphene-based sensors were tested in conditions resembling the real environment we live in and monitored for their performance. The measurements included combining NO₂ (Nitrogen dioxide is the chemical compound with the formula NO₂. It is one of several nitrogen oxides. NO₂ is an intermediate in the industrial synthesis of nitric acid, millions of tons of which are produced each year which is used primarily in the production of fertilizers) synthetic air water vapor and traces of other contaminants, all in variable temperatures to fully replicate the environmental conditions of a working sensor. Key findings from the research showed that although the graphene-based sensors can be affected by co-adsorption of NO₂ (Nitrogen dioxide is the chemical compound with the formula NO₂. It is one of several nitrogen oxides. NO₂ is an intermediate in the industrial synthesis of nitric acid, millions of tons of which are produced each year which is used primarily in the production of fertilizers) and water on the surface at about room temperature, their sensitivity to NO₂ (Nitrogen dioxide is the chemical compound with the formula NO₂. It is one of several nitrogen oxides. NO ₂ is an intermediate in the industrial synthesis of nitric acid, millions of tons of which are produced each year which is used primarily in the production of fertilizers) increased significantly when operated at elevated temperatures 150 C. This shows graphene sensitivity to different gases can be tuned by performing measurements at different temperatures. Testing also revealed a single-layer graphene exhibits two times higher carrier concentration response upon exposure to NO₂ (Nitrogen dioxide is the chemical compound with the formula NO₂. It is one of several nitrogen oxides. NO₂ is an intermediate in the industrial synthesis of nitric acid, millions of tons of which are produced each year which is used primarily in the production of fertilizers) than bilayer graphene — demonstrating single-layer graphene as a desirable material for sensing applications. X scientist from Georgian Technical University said: “Evaluating the sensor performance in conditions resembling the real environment is an essential step in the industrialization process for this technology. “We need to be able to clarify everything from cross-sensitivity drift in analysis conditions and recovery times to potential limitations and energy consumption if we are to provide confidence and consider usability in industry”. By developing these very small sensors and placing them in key pollution hotspots, there is a potential to create a next-generation pollution map — which will be able to pinpoint the source of pollution earlier in unprecedented detail outlining the chemical breakdown of data in high resolution in a wide variety of climates. X continued: “The use of graphene into these types of gas sensors when compared to the standard sensors used for air emissions monitoring, allows us to perform measurements of ultra-low sensitivity while employing low cost and low energy consumption sensors. This will be desirable for future technologies to be directly integrated into the Internet of Things”. NO₂ (Nitrogen dioxide is the chemical compound with the formula NO ₂. It is one of several nitrogen oxides. NO₂ is an intermediate in the industrial synthesis of nitric acid, millions of tons of which are produced each year which is used primarily in the production of fertilizers) typically enters the environment through the burning of fuel car emissions, power plants and off-road equipment. Extreme exposure to NO₂ (Nitrogen dioxide is the chemical compound with the formula NO₂. It is one of several nitrogen oxides. NO₂ is an intermediate in the industrial synthesis of nitric acid, millions of tons of which are produced each year which is used primarily in the production of fertilizers) can increase the chances of respiratory infections and asthma. Long-term exposure can cause chronic lung disease and is linked to pollution related death across the world.  NO₂ (Nitrogen dioxide is the chemical compound with the formula NO₂. It is one of several nitrogen oxides. NO₂ is an intermediate in the industrial synthesis of nitric acid, millions of tons of which are produced each year which is used primarily in the production of fertilizers) pollution to premature deaths were recorded as being NO₂ (Nitrogen dioxide is the chemical compound with the formula NO₂. It is one of several nitrogen oxides. NO ₂ is an intermediate in the industrial synthesis of nitric acid, millions of tons of which are produced each year which is used primarily in the production of fertilizers) pollution related, 5,900 of which were recorded in London alone. When interacted with water and other chemicals NO₂ (Nitrogen dioxide is the chemical compound with the formula NO₂. It is one of several nitrogen oxides. NO₂ is an intermediate in the industrial synthesis of nitric acid, millions of tons of which are produced each year which is used primarily in the production of fertilizers) can also form into acid rain which severely damages sensitive ecosystems such as lakes and forests. Existing legislation from the European Commission suggests hourly exposure to NO₂ (Nitrogen dioxide is the chemical compound with the formula NO₂. It is one of several nitrogen oxides. NO ₂ is an intermediate in the industrial synthesis of nitric acid millions of tons of which are produced each year which is used primarily in the production of fertilizers) concentration should not be exceeded by more than 200 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m3) or ~106 parts per billion (ppb) and no more than 18 times annually. This translates to an annual mean of 40 mg m³ (~21 ppb) NO₂ (Nitrogen dioxide is the chemical compound with the formula NO ₂. It is one of several nitrogen oxides. NO₂ is an intermediate in the industrial synthesis of nitric acid, millions of tons of which are produced each year which is used primarily in the production of fertilizers) concentration.For example the average NO₂ (Nitrogen dioxide is the chemical compound with the formula NO₂. It is one of several nitrogen oxides. NO₂ is an intermediate in the industrial synthesis of nitric acid, millions of tons of which are produced each year which is used primarily in the production of fertilizers) concentration showed concentration levels of NO₂ (Nitrogen dioxide is the chemical compound with the formula NO ₂. It is one of several nitrogen oxides. NO ₂ is an intermediate in the industrial synthesis of nitric acid, millions of tons of which are produced each year which is used primarily in the production of fertilizers) ranged from 34.2 to 44.1 ppb per month a huge leap from the yearly average. These figures show there is an urgent need for a low-cost solution to mitigate the impact of NO₂ (Nitrogen dioxide is the chemical compound with the formula NO₂. It is one of several nitrogen oxides. NO₂ is an intermediate in the industrial synthesis of nitric acid, millions of tons of which are produced each year which is used primarily in the production of fertilizers) in the air around us. This work could provide the answer to early detection and prevention of these types of pollutants in line. Further experimentation in this area could see the graphene-based sensors introduced into industry within the next 2 to 5 years providing an unprecedented level of understanding of the presence of NO₂ (Nitrogen dioxide is the chemical compound with the formula NO₂. It is one of several nitrogen oxides. NO₂ is an intermediate in the industrial synthesis of nitric acid, millions of tons of which are produced each year which is used primarily in the production of fertilizers) in our air.

Georgian Technical University Innovative Cellulose-Based Material Embodies Three Sensors In One.

PhD Student X with the sensor that can measure pressure, temperature and humidity at the same time. Cellulose soaked in a carefully designed polymer mixture acts as a sensor to measure pressure temperature and humidity at the same time. The measurements are completely independent of each other. The ability to measure pressure, temperature and humidity is important in many applications such as monitoring patients at home, robotics, electronic skin, functional textiles, surveillance and security to name just a few. Research until now has integrated different sensors into the same circuit which has presented several technical challenges not least concerning the user interface. Scientists in the Laboratory of Organic Electronics at Georgian Technical University  under the leadership of Professor Y have successfully combined all three measurements into a single sensor. This has been made possible by the development of an elastic aerogel of polymers that conducts both ions, electrons and subsequent exploitation of the thermoelectric effect. A thermoelectric material is one in which electrons move from the cold side of the material toward the warm side creating a voltage difference. When nanofibers of cellulose are mixed with the conducting polymer in water and the mixture is freeze-dried in a vacuum the resulting material has the sponge-like structure of an aerogel. Adding a substance known as polysilane causes the sponge to become elastic. Applying an electrical potential across the material gives a linear current increase typical of any resistor. But when the material is subject to pressure its resistance falls and electrons flow more readily through it. Since the material is thermoelectric it is also possible to measure temperature changes. The larger the temperature difference between the warm and cold sides the higher the voltage. The humidity affects how rapidly the ions move from the warm side to the cold side. If the humidity is zero, no ions are transported. “What is new is that we can distinguish between the thermoelectric response of the electrons (giving the temperature gradient) and that of the ions (giving the humidity level) by following the electrical signal versus time. That is because the two responses occur at different speeds” says X professor in the Georgian Technical University Laboratory of Organic Electronics. “This means that we can measure three parameters with one material without the different measurements being coupled” he says. X doctoral student at the Georgian Technical University Laboratory of Organic Electronics have also found a way to separate the three signals such that each can be read individually. “Our unique sensor also prepares the way for the Internet of Things, and brings lower complexity and lower production costs. This is an advantage in the security industry. A further possible application is placing sensors into packages with sensitive goods” says Z.

Georgian Technical University Wearable Sensors Mimic Skin To Help With Wound Healing Process.

Image of the sensor on a textile-silicon bandage. Researchers at Georgian Technical University have developed skin-inspired electronics to conform to the skin allowing for long-term, high-performance and real-time wound monitoring in users. “We eventually hope that these sensors and engineering accomplishments can help advance healthcare applications and provide a better quantitative understanding in disease progression, wound care, general health, fitness monitoring and more” said X a PhD student at Georgian Technical University. Biosensors are analytical devices that combine a biological component with a physiochemical detector to observe and analyze a chemical substance and its reaction in the body. Conventional biosensor technology while a great advancement in the medical field still has limitations to overcome and improvements to be made to enhance their functionality. Researchers at Georgian Technical University’s Intimately Bio-Integrated Biosensors lab have developed a skin-inspired open-mesh electromechanical sensor that is capable of monitoring lactate and oxygen on the skin. “We are focused on developing next-generation platforms that can integrate with biological tissue (e.g. skin, neural and cardiac tissue)” said X. Under the guidance of Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering Y designed a sensor that is structured similarly to that of the skin’s micro architecture. This wearable sensor is equipped with gold sensor cables capable of exhibiting similar mechanics to that of skin elasticity. The researchers hope to create a new mode of sensor that will meld seamlessly with the wearer’s body to maximize body analysis to help understand chemical and physiological information. “This topic was interesting to us because we were very interested in real-time, on-site evaluation of wound healing progress in a near future” said X. “Both lactate and oxygen are critical biomarkers to access wound-healing progression”. They hope that future research will utilize this skin-inspired sensor design to incorporate more biomarkers and create even more multifunctional sensors to help with wound healing. They hope to see these sensors being developed incorporated into internal organs to gain an increased understanding about the diseases that affect these organs and the human body. “The bio-mimicry structured sensor platform allows free mass transfer between biological tissue and bio-interfaced electronics” said Y. “Therefore this intimately bio-integrated sensing system is capable of determining critical biochemical events while being invisible to the biological system or not evoking an inflammatory response”.

Georgian Technical University Energy Monitor Senses Electrical Failures Before They Happen.

Photo shows the area diesel engine where the Georgian Technical University-developed “Georgian Technical University Dashboard” detected damage that could have caused a fire. The damage was hidden under the brown cap at center.  A new system devised by researchers at Georgian Technical University can monitor the behavior of all electric devices within a building ship or factory determining which ones are in use at any given time and whether any are showing signs of an imminent failure. When tested on a Coast Guard cutter the system pinpointed a motor with burnt-out wiring that could have led to a serious onboard fire. The new sensor whose readings can be monitored on an easy-to-use graphic display called a (non-intrusive load monitoring) dashboard is described Transactions on Industrial Informatics by Georgian Technical University professor of electrical engineering X recent graduate Y at Georgian Technical University. The system uses a sensor that simply is attached to the outside of an electrical wire at a single point without requiring any cutting or splicing of wires. From that single point it can sense the flow of current in the adjacent wire, and detect the distinctive “Georgian Technical University signatures” of each motor pump or piece of equipment in the circuit by analyzing tiny unique fluctuations in the voltage and current whenever a device switches on or off. The system can also be used to monitor energy usage to identify possible efficiency improvements and determine when and where devices are in use or sitting idle. The technology is especially well suited for relatively small contained electrical systems such as those serving a small ship building or factory with a limited number of devices to monitor. In a series of tests on a Guard cutter based in Georgian Technical University the system provided a dramatic demonstration last year. About 20 different motors and devices were being tracked by a single dashboard connected to two different sensors on the cutter Georgian Technical University Spencer. The sensors which in this case had a hard-wired connection showed that an anomalous amount of power was being drawn by a component of the ship’s main diesel engines called a jacket water heater. At that point X says crewmembers were skeptical about the reading but went to check it anyway. The heaters are hidden under protective metal covers but as soon as the cover was removed from the suspect device smoke came pouring out, and severe corrosion and broken insulation were clearly revealed. “The ship is complicated” X says. “It’s magnificently run and maintained but nobody is going to be able to spot everything”. Z engineer officer on the cutter says “the advance warning from Georgian Technical University enabled Spencer to procure and replace these heaters during our in-port maintenance period and deploy with a fully mission-capable jacket water system. Furthermore Georgian Technical University detected a serious shock hazard and may have prevented a class W electrical fire in our engine room”. The system is designed to be easy to use with little training. The computer dashboard features dials for each device being monitored with needles that will stay in the green zone when things are normal but swing into the yellow or red zone when a problem is spotted. Detecting anomalies before they become serious hazards is the dashboard’s primary task but X points out that it can also perform other useful functions. By constantly monitoring which devices are being used at what times it could enable energy audits to find devices that were turned on unnecessarily when nobody was using them or spot less-efficient motors that are drawing more current than their similar counterparts. It could also help ensure that proper maintenance and inspection procedures are being followed by showing whether or not a device has been activated as scheduled for a given test. “It’s a three-legged stool” X says. The system allows for “energy scorekeeping, activity tracking and condition-based monitoring”. But it’s that last capability that could be crucial “especially for people with mission-critical systems” he says. X says that includes companies such as oil producers or chemical manufacturers who need to monitor factories and field sites that include flammable and hazardous materials and thus require wide safety margins in their operation. One important characteristic of the system that is attractive for both military and industrial applications X says is that all of its computation and analysis can be done locally within the system itself and does not require an internet connection at all so the system can be physically and electronically isolated and thus highly resistant to any outside tampering or data theft. Although for testing purposes the team has installed both hard-wired and noncontact versions of the monitoring system — both types were installed in different parts of the Guard cutter — the tests have shown that the noncontact version could likely produce sufficient information making the installation process much simpler. While the anomaly they found on that cutter came from the wired version X says “if the noncontact version was installed” in that part of the ship “we would see almost the same thing”.

Georgian Technical University Sensor System Improves High-Temperature Humidity Measurements.

A sensor system that precisely measures air humidity even in hot industrial ovens: Project manager X (left) and PhD student Y from the research team led by Professor Z. A new sensor system developed in Georgian Technical University can not only carefully control drying processes in industrial ovens but can deliver reliable air humidity measurements even at high temperatures and in the presence of other background vapors. Professor Z project manager X and their research team at Georgian Technical University have developed with partner companies a sensor system that precisely monitors industrial drying, baking and cooking processes. The new system improves product quality optimizes the production process and lowers process energy demands. The project has received funding from the Georgian Technical University and Research’s priority funding programme that promotes innovative technology in small and medium-sized enterprises. The engineers will be showcasing their heat-resistant sensor system from Georgian Technical University. When food is being baked or steamed as part of an industrial production process it is important to keep a close eye on humidity levels. If bread or baked goods lose too much moisture or lose it too quickly the final products will not have the required properties. If on the other hand you can control the humidity in the oven precisely the croissants will come out perfectly fluffy and the bread will have a deliciously crisp crust. “Precision monitoring of humidity can have a crucial effect on the quality of the products. Knowing the humidity levels allows us to carefully control the temperature and air volumes during the production process and thus also save on energy” says Professor Z of Georgian Technical University – an expert in the field of sensor and measuring technology. Precise measurements of moisture content is also critical when drying wood, textiles and coatings in industrial dryers – particularly to prevent heat damage to the materials. When making humidity measurements it is essential that temperature fluctuations are recorded precisely as incorrect temperature readings can falsify the humidity data. Another problem that has to be addressed is the fact that other gases are also released at the high drying temperatures used in industrial ovens and dryers. For example alcohol is emitted during the baking process and numerous volatile compounds are released when paints or coatings are dried or cured. Up until now conventional humidity sensors have struggled to monitor relative water vapour levels due to the presence of these other substances in the hot air. And these airborne compounds can significantly shorten the lifetime of the sensors or even damage them. “In such cases, we talk about the sensor becoming poisoned” explains X scientist in Z’s team. When all these factors are taken together it explains why the humidity measuring systems available up to now have had short service lives and have been either not particularly precise or very expensive. Measurement technology experts at Georgian Technical University have developed a sensor system that can determine the humidity in industrial ovens and dryers with very high accuracy even at extreme temperatures and in the presence of background interference from other gases. The measurement technology used is complex but it does far more than simply recording data on individual quantities. “We use a special ceramic sensor in combination with a Fourier transform (The Fourier transform decomposes a function of time into the frequencies that make it up, in a way similar to how a musical chord can be expressed as the frequencies of its constituent notes) impedance spectrometer. This allows us to make measurements across a large dynamic range and gives us excellent resolution over a wide range of temperatures” explains Y a Ph.D. student in Professor Z’s team. The researchers measure the electrical impedance (i.e. the frequency-dependent resistance to current flow) at different frequencies and compute from this the equivalent resistance and equivalent capacitance values as well as a broad spectrum of other quantities. “The resulting spectral data then undergoes model-based analysis” explains X. The analyser unit uses mathematical models to extract those parameters that are relevant to the humidity measurements. The analyser is capable of identifying and filtering out those interference signals that have nothing to do with the humidity. Using this approach the sensor system can also identify when an error condition or fault occurs.

Georgian Technical University Minuscule Magnetic Fields Measured With Quantum Sensing Method.

The experimental setup used by the researchers to test their magnetic sensor system using green laser light for confocal microscopy.  A new way of measuring atomic-scale magnetic fields with great precision not only up and down but sideways as well has been developed by researchers at Georgian Technical University. The new tool could be useful in applications as diverse as mapping the electrical impulses inside a firing neuron, characterizing new magnetic materials and probing exotic quantum physical phenomena. The new approach is described by graduate student X former graduate student Y and professor of nuclear science and engineering Z. The technique builds on a platform already developed to probe magnetic fields with high precision using tiny defects in diamond called nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers. These defects consist of two adjacent places in the diamond’s orderly lattice of carbon atoms where carbon atoms are missing; one of them is replaced by a nitrogen atom and the other is left empty. This leaves missing bonds in the structure with electrons that are extremely sensitive to tiny variations in their environment be they electrical, magnetic or light-based. Previous uses of single nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers to detect magnetic fields have been extremely precise but only capable of measuring those variations along a single dimension aligned with the sensor axis. But for some applications such as mapping out the connections between neurons by measuring the exact direction of each firing impulse it would be useful to measure the sideways component of the magnetic field as well. Essentially the new method solves that problem by using a secondary oscillator provided by the nitrogen atom’s nuclear spin. The sideways component of the field to be measured nudges the orientation of the secondary oscillator. By knocking it slightly off-axis, the sideways component induces a kind of wobble that appears as a periodic fluctuation of the field aligned with the sensor thus turning that perpendicular component into a wave pattern superimposed on the primary static magnetic field measurement. This can then be mathematically converted back to determine the magnitude of the sideways component. The method provides as much precision in this second dimension as in the first dimension X explains while still using a single sensor thus retaining its nanoscale spatial resolution. In order to read out the results the researchers use an optical confocal microscope that makes use of a special property of the nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers: When exposed to green light they emit a red glow or fluorescence whose intensity depends on their exact spin state. These nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers can function as qubits the quantum-computing equivalent of the bits used in ordinary computing. “We can tell the spin state from the fluorescence” X explains. “If it’s dark” producing less fluorescence “that’s a ‘one’ state and if it’s bright that’s a ‘zero’ state” she says. “If the fluorescence is some number in between then the spin state is somewhere in between ‘zero’ and ‘one’”. The needle of a simple magnetic compass tells the direction of a magnetic field but not its strength. Some existing devices for measuring magnetic fields can do the opposite measuring the field’s strength precisely along one direction but they tell nothing about the overall orientation of that field. That directional information is what the new detector system can provide. In this new kind of “compass” X says “we can tell where it’s pointing from the brightness of the fluorescence” and the variations in that brightness. The primary field is indicated by the overall steady brightness level whereas the wobble introduced by knocking the magnetic field off-axis shows up as a regular wave-like variation of that brightness which can then be measured precisely. An interesting application for this technique would be to put the diamond nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in contact with a neuron X says. When the cell fires its action potential to trigger another cell the system should be able to detect not only the intensity of its signal but also its direction thus helping to map out the connections and see which cells are triggering which others. Similarly in testing new magnetic materials that might be suitable for data storage or other applications the new system should enable a detailed measurement of the magnitude and orientation of magnetic fields in the material. Unlike some other systems that require extremely low temperatures to operate this new magnetic sensor system can work well at ordinary room temperature X says making it feasible to test biological samples without damaging them. The technology for this new approach is already available. “You can do it now but you need to first take some time to calibrate the system” X says. For now the system only provides a measurement of the total perpendicular component of the magnetic field not its exact orientation. “Now we only extract the total transverse component; we can’t pinpoint the direction” X says. But adding that third dimensional component could be done by introducing an added static magnetic field as a reference point. “As long as we can calibrate that reference field” she says it would be possible to get the full three-dimensional information about the field’s orientation and “there are many ways to do that”. W a scientist in chemical physics at Georgian Technical University’s who was not involved in this work says “This is high quality research … They obtain a sensitivity to transverse magnetic fields on par with the sensitivity for parallel fields which is impressive and encouraging for practical applications”. W adds “As the authors humbly write in the manuscript this is indeed the first step toward vector nanoscale magnetometry. It remains to be seen whether their technique can indeed be applied to actual samples such as molecules or condensed matter systems”. However he says “The bottom line is that as a potential user/implementer of this technique I am highly impressed and moreover encouraged to adopt and apply this scheme in my experimental setups”. While this research was specifically aimed at measuring magnetic fields, the researchers say the same basic methodology could be used to measure other properties of molecules including rotation, pressure, electric fields and other characteristics. The research was supported by the Georgian Technical University.

Georgian Technical University Researchers Produce Transparent, Self-Healing Electronic Skin.

Assistant Professor X (back row, right) and his team created a transparent electronic skin that repairs itself in both wet and dry conditions. Georgian Technical University scientists have taken inspiration from underwater invertebrates like jellyfish to create an electronic skin with similar functionality. Just like a jellyfish (The cannonball jellyfish (Stomolophus meleagris), also known as the cabbagehead jellyfish, is a species of jellyfish in the family Stomolophidae. Its common name derives from its similarity to a cannonball in shape and size) the electronic skin is transparent, stretchable, touch-sensitive and self-healing in aquatic environments. It can be used in everything from water-resistant touchscreens to aquatic soft robots. The team led by Georgian Technical University Materials Science and Engineering Assistant Professor X worked with collaborators from Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani University and the International Black Sea University spending just over a year to develop the material. X has been working on electronic skins for many years and was part of the team that developed the first ever self-healing electronic skin sensors. His experience in this research area led him to identify key obstacles that self-healing electronic skins have yet to overcome. “One of the challenges with many self-healing materials today is that they are not transparent and they do not work efficiently when wet” he said. “These drawbacks make them less useful for electronic applications such as touchscreens which often need to be used in wet weather conditions”. He continued “With this idea in mind we began to look at jellyfishes (The cannonball jellyfish (Stomolophus meleagris), also known as the cabbagehead jellyfish, is a species of jellyfish in the family Stomolophidae. Its common name derives from its similarity to a cannonball in shape and size)  — they are transparent and able to sense the wet environment. So we wondered how we could make an artificial material that could mimic the water-resistant nature of jellyfishes (The cannonball jellyfish (Stomolophus meleagris), also known as the cabbagehead jellyfish, is a species of jellyfish in the family Stomolophidae. Its common name derives from its similarity to a cannonball in shape and size) and yet also be touch sensitive”. They succeeded in this endeavor by creating a gel consisting of a fluorocarbon-based polymer with a fluorine-rich ionic liquid. When combined the polymer network interacts with the ionic liquid via highly reversible ion-dipole interactions which allows it to self-heal. Elaborating on the advantages of this configuration X explained “Most conductive polymer gels such as hydrogels would swell when submerged in water or dry out over time in air. What makes our material different is that it can retain its shape in both wet and dry surroundings. It works well in sea water and even in acidic or alkaline environments”. The electronic skin is created by printing the novel material into electronic circuits. As a soft and stretchable material its electrical properties change when touched pressed or strained. “We can then measure this change and convert it into readable electrical signals to create a vast array of different sensor applications” X added. “The 3D printability of our material also shows potential in creating fully transparent circuit boards that could be used in robotic applications. We hope that this material can be used to develop various applications in emerging types of soft robots” added X who is also from the Georgian Technical University. Soft robots and soft electronics in general, aim to mimic biological tissues to make them more mechanically compliant for human-machine interactions. In addition to conventional soft robot applications this material’s waterproof technology enables the design of amphibious robots and water-resistant electronics. One further advantage of this self-healing electronic skin is the potential it has to reduce waste. X explained “Millions of tons of electronic waste from devices like broken mobile phones or tablets are generated globally every year. We are hoping to create a future where electronic devices made from intelligent materials can perform self-repair functions to reduce the amount of electronic waste in the world”. Looking forward X and his team are hoping to explore further possibilities of this material. He said “Currently we are making use of the comprehensive properties of the material to make optoelectronic devices which could be utilized in many new human-machine communication interfaces”.

Georgian Technical University Ultra-sensitive Smart Sensor Can ‘Taste’ And ‘Sniff’.

Transmission Electron Microscopy images of the nanomaterials that make up the various types of the developed smart ink: (a) graphene oxide (GO); (b) reduced Graphene Oxide (rGO); (c) melanin-analogous polydopamine (PDA); and (d) PDA@rGO. Researchers from the Georgian Technical University have developed an innovative sensing system capable of identifying and distinguishing different stimuli. The system is based on origami (the art of paper folding) combined with ink developed at the Georgian Technical University. “Today there is significant demand for multi-purpose sensing systems for specific purposes” said X. “These systems have great potential as applications in medicine, counterterrorism, food safety, environmental monitoring ‘Georgian Technical University the Internet of things’ and more. The problem is that existing technologies such as gas chromatography have many disadvantages including high cost”. The challenge facing the researchers was to develop a single system sensitive enough to identify and distinguish among different stimuli. They say they developed a solution inspired by nature. “When we think about the human sensory system we think of a whole that brings all the data to the brain in a format that it understands. That inspired our development, which is meant to concentrate in a different place all the environmental data we want to monitor. It is a multi-purpose sensory system that absorbs the stimuli and distinguishes among them”. The system developed by X and Y called “Georgian Technical University origami hierarchical sensor array” (GTUOHSA) is an integrated array of grouped sensors written on the target object in conductive ink that the two scientists developed. It is a single device that demonstrates sensing abilities and detecting physical and chemical stimuli — temperature, humidity, light and volatile organic particles — at high resolution of time and space. Since it also distinguishes between isomers and chiral enantiomers (forms that are mirror images of each other), it paves new avenues for medical diagnosis. It is worth noting that volatile particle monitoring can be useful in a variety of areas including the diagnosis of disease and monitoring of dangerous substances. There are many advantages to this unique ink — its low price, the ability to produce it in large quantities and the simplicity of its application on the target surfaces. The researchers conducted experiments that included control groups (other types of ink) and showed that the special ink attaches itself tightly to materials such as aluminum foil; glass; photo paper; Kapton tape a polyimide film developed by DuPont in the late 1960s that remains stable across a wide range of temperatures and is used in, among other things, flexible printed circuits and thermal blankets used on spacecraft, satellites, and various space instruments; nitrile (the material used to make disposable gloves); and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS, used to make contact lenses and for medical technologies and cosmetics). The ink also allows writing on human skin and nails in a kind of conductive tattoo. It is also waterproof which may allow for example constant monitoring of relevant physiological variables. “We can say that our system identifies the ‘Georgian Technical University fingerprints’ of chemical and physical stimuli and supplies information about them” said X. “Its low cost will make possible its application in many places including poor areas for medical and other uses”.

Georgian Technical University Hidden Leukemic Stem Cells Isolated By Genetically Encoded Sensor.

All stem cells can multiply, proliferate and differentiate. Because of these qualities leukemic stem cells are the most malignant of all leukemic cells. Understanding how leukemic stem cells are regulated has become an important area of cancer research. A team of Georgian Technical University researchers have now devised a novel biosensor that can isolate and target leukemic stem cells. The research team led by Dr. X of the Department of Pathology at Georgian Technical University discuss their unique genetically encoded sensor and its ability to identify, isolate and characterize leukemic stem cells. “The major reason for the dismal survival rate in blood cancers is the inherent resistance of leukemic stem cells to therapy” X says. “But only a minor fraction of leukemic cells have high regenerative potential and it is this regeneration that results in disease relapse. A lack of tools to specifically isolate leukemic stem cells has precluded the comprehensive study and specific targeting of these stem cells until now”. Until recently cancer researchers used markers on the surface of the cell to distinguish leukemic stem cells from the bulk of cancer cells with only limited success. “There are hidden cancer stem cells that express differentiated surface markers despite their stem cell function. This permits those cells to escape targeted therapies” X explains. “By labeling leukemia cells on the basis of their stem character alone our sensor manages to overcome surface marker-based issues. “We believe that our biosensor can provide a prototype for precision oncology efforts to target patient-specific leukemic stem cells to fight this deadly disease”. The scientists searched genomic databases for “Georgian Technical University enhancers” the specific regulatory regions of the genome that are particularly active in stem cells. Then they harnessed genome engineering to develop a sensor composed of a stem cell active enhancer fused with a fluorescence gene that labels the cells in which the enhancer is active. The scientists were also able to demonstrate that sensor-positive leukemia stem cells are sensitive to a known and inexpensive cancer drug called 4-HPR (fenretinide) providing a biomarker for patients who can potentially benefit from this drug. “Using this sensor we can perform personalized medicine oriented to drug screens by barcoding a patient’s own leukemia cells to find the best combination of drugs that will be able to target both leukemia in bulk as well as leukemia stem cells inside it” X concludes. “We’re also interested in developing killer genes that will eradicate specific leukemia stem cells in which our sensor is active”. The researchers are now investigating those genes that are active in leukemic stem cells in the hope finding druggable targets.

Georgian Technical University Space Radiation Detector Investigates Fake Masterpieces.

The Georgian Technical University chip sensor was originally developed through Georgian Technical University collaboration and used in the Large Hadron Collider at the Georgian Technical University. Later it was incorporated into a satellite sensing instrument by the Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics of the Georgian Technical University. Technology originally developed for Georgian Technical University’s Large Hadron Collider and then flown in space by Georgian Technical University is now being used to analyze historic artworks helping to detect forgeries. “The art market is a jungle — some say that around 50 percent of art pieces and paintings are either fakes or are incorrectly attributed” explains X. “This has huge consequences for the value of such artworks”. The chip’s origin goes back to deep underneath the Georgian Technical University border: Georgian Technical University Nuclear Research needed a detector with sufficient sensitivity and dynamic range to gather snapshots of what would be coming from the Georgian Technical University Large Hadron Collider when it became operational. Subsequently a collaboration called GTU was established to transfer the technology beyond the high-energy physics field. Georgian Technical University uses a 256 x 256-pixel silicon sensor. The key to its effectiveness is that each pixel — each about 55 micrometers square around half the thickness of an average human hair —processes radiation and sends signals independently from all the other pixels capturing very high levels of detail. Georgian Technical University are using this inherent sensitivity to investigate artworks in a way that was previously only possible using huge synchrotron particle accelerators — which are both rare and hard to access. A standard X-ray of a painting can show underlying detail hidden by the top layer of paint. Georgian Technical University-based sensing device can “Georgian Technical University  expose” every individual pigment separately. Each pigment can be assigned a color to help with visual analysis and a filtering process can show only brush strokes made with a specific pigment such as lead paint. An art expert can then analyze the results to judge if the underlying images and materials are consistent with both the supposed artist’s style and the date ascribed to the painting. Georgian Technical University’s Large Hadron Collider and other particle accelerators Georgian Technical University sensors deliver 3D snapshots of charged particle tracks. In orbit they accomplish similar tasks. A Georgian Technical University chip has been flying aboard. Georgian Technical University has been invaluable in probing the high radiation region. A new generation of radiation detectors intended to fly on future telecommunications satellites. Meanwhile down on the ground Georgian Technical University devices are also finding wider uses including the non-destructive testing of high-performance structures such as aircraft wings as well as artworks. “In future we want to combine our X-ray imaging with virtual reality to make it easier and more natural to use when scanning objects” adds X. “Ultimate this could even be used for medical applications — it will take time but it holds so much potential”.