Rapid prototyping of next generation microfluidic sensing platforms

Abstract

Sensing platforms targeting chemical and biological parameters are currently far too expensive and complex to enable scalability similar to that witnessed with physical sensors like thermistors and movement detectors. The complexity arises from the need to handle liquid samples that are often hostile in terms of their effect on the sensor and the instrument. The way forward requires significant creativity in electronics, power management and wireless communications, platform design, mechanical system integration, microfluidics and detection schemes. For this project, the emphasis is on the engineering needs, particularly electronics, and mechanical design and fabrication. This BEPE internship will allow for the student to be trained in cutting edge technology for 3D rapid prototyping, production of custom designed mechanical components, and testing of electronic components that perform multiple critical functions. The latter include wireless communications, power management, sensor signal acquisition and processing, and control of system fluidics (sampling, reagent addition, pumping, detection, etc.).The expertise to be acquired from the internship at Dublin City University is congruent to the student's current Scientific Initiation Project that consists on developing a miniaturized sensing platform based on the impedance spectroscopy technique and to integrate the system in an electronic tongue that will perform measurements in liquid samples utilizing sensors and biosensors. Therefore the internship will equip the student with expertise to adapt the said technologies to the electronic tongue under development in São Carlos. (AU)