Automated Chemical and Biological Sensing Automated Chemical and Biological Sensing in Sensor Networksin Sensor Networks

MicroLabsMicroLabs

$ 10

Cermet SensorCermet Sensor

$ 10

Cermet SensorCermet Sensor

$ 300,000$ 300,000

Environmental Monitoring: Environmental Monitoring: A Living Laboratory in Cal-IT2A Living Laboratory in Cal-IT2

• Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve, SMERSanta Margarita Ecological Reserve, SMER– 4,334 acre field station 50 miles 4,334 acre field station 50 miles

NE of San DiegoNE of San Diego– Variety of habitat, terrainVariety of habitat, terrain– A testbed for 56 ongoing A testbed for 56 ongoing

experiments including sensingexperiments including sensing» Hydrology (stream flow, temp, pH, O2, Hydrology (stream flow, temp, pH, O2,

conductivity..)conductivity..)» Microclimate, fire hazardMicroclimate, fire hazard» Chemical, biological agentsChemical, biological agents

• High Performance Wireless Research and High Performance Wireless Research and Education NetworkEducation Network– 45 Mbps wireless backbone 45 Mbps wireless backbone

running across southern CA running across southern CA connecting connecting

» SMER, Mt. Palomar, IGPP/SIO seismic networkSMER, Mt. Palomar, IGPP/SIO seismic network

– Specific focus on real-time Specific focus on real-time environmental monitoring environmental monitoring

» Seismic, oceanographic, hydrological, Seismic, oceanographic, hydrological, ecological dataecological data

– http://hpwren.ucsd.eduhttp://hpwren.ucsd.edu

Santa Margarita Ecological Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve Reserve

Water Chemistry Quality Water Chemistry Quality StationsStations

Source, Dan Cayan, UCSD SIO

Project Goal: Project Goal: computation+networking+sensincomputation+networking+sensin

gg

• BioChem Embedded and Networked Sensing (BCENS) BioChem Embedded and Networked Sensing (BCENS) nodes and netsnodes and nets– In-package integration of microfluidic, In-package integration of microfluidic,

communications, networking and processing communications, networking and processing subsystems subsystems

– Remotely operated, reconfigurable laboratories Remotely operated, reconfigurable laboratories for biochemical analysisfor biochemical analysis

• Sub-systemsSub-systems– Biofluidic sample preparation, transport, Biofluidic sample preparation, transport,

disposaldisposal– Chemical analysis, biological assaysChemical analysis, biological assays– In-situ monitoring, control, communication, In-situ monitoring, control, communication,

adaptationadaptation

• Targeted for: crisis detection, evolutionary monitoring, Targeted for: crisis detection, evolutionary monitoring, genotypinggenotyping

In Simpler TermsIn Simpler Terms

In-package BioChemical In-package BioChemical ProcessingProcessing

Subsystem: Chemistry Subsystem: Chemistry LaboratoryLaboratory

• Critical ActionsCritical Actions– Sampling, Transport, Reagent Mixing, Sampling, Transport, Reagent Mixing,

PackagingPackaging– Enormously challenging Enormously challenging

» due to surface chemistry (e.g., avoiding protein absorption), flow due to surface chemistry (e.g., avoiding protein absorption), flow control (very low Reynold’s number), clogging/bubblingcontrol (very low Reynold’s number), clogging/bubbling

– Opportunities as wellOpportunities as well» DNA extraction from flow control, thermal management through DNA extraction from flow control, thermal management through

flow control (rather than heat sinks)flow control (rather than heat sinks)

• ComponentsComponents– AC-pulsed MHD micropumps, microswitchesAC-pulsed MHD micropumps, microswitches– Polymeric microvalves, microtitrationPolymeric microvalves, microtitration– Capillary electrophoresis for separation Capillary electrophoresis for separation

methodsmethods

MHD MicrofluidicsMHD Microfluidics

electromagnet area underneath device

arm 1

4 mm

holes for fluidic contact

holes for electrical contact

1 mm

arm 2 arm3

Microfluidic PlatformsMicrofluidic Platforms

• IC-like microfluidic processors for handling complex IC-like microfluidic processors for handling complex biofluids & self-calibration (BioFlips)biofluids & self-calibration (BioFlips)– Micropumps, flow sensors, viscosity sensors, Micropumps, flow sensors, viscosity sensors,

diffusion assayes, laminar flow-based target diffusion assayes, laminar flow-based target extractors, flow cytometers.extractors, flow cytometers.