Grant: Idea to Innovation

Exposure to airborne particles has been shown to increase mortality and morbidity rates related to respiratory and cardiopulmonary diseases. The effect of particulate matter (PM) on climate change is complex and currently not fully understood. Distributed PM monitoring in real-time in both indoor and outdoor environments would therefore benefit human health and increase knowledge regarding the effects of air pollution on the environment. Several PM monitoring instruments already exist, however there remains an unmet demand for inexpensive and light-weight, real-time PM monitoring technology. To meet this need, we have developed a novel technology for airborne particle detection and in this project we will bring it closer to the commercial stage. This technology uses a curved microchannel to separate airborne particles by size using centrifugal forces. Particles in different size categories are then detected through an integrated optical system. We have two objectives. Objective 1: Demonstration of additional design features and performance characterization. We will demonstrate how to mitigate the indicated potential risks as suggested in the market study. Objective 2: Development of a portable prototype. This prototype will be functional but less complex than the optimized benchtop system, and it will be sufficient to demonstrate the potential of our technology for miniaturization. In the future, this technology can be further miniaturized to develop personal exposure monitoring devices providing real-time data. Such devices would be small and light enough to be worn by health-compromised individuals, workers in high-risk environments, and by air quality surveyors to allow easy movement on foot while simultaneously capturing data in real-time.