Low power electronics for humans, on humans!

The development of low power electronics and devices for integration into the type of active lifestyles that are characteristic of modern humans is a vibrant area of research. Whether the electronics are wearable, epidermal, edible or even implantable, developments are taking place worldwide with new concepts, designs and prototypes that could change everyday life with minimal intrusiveness.

Smart Skin - MC10
Smart skin is a good example, an "epidermal electronic system", which was developed with funding by the National Science Foundation and the US Air Force. The device contains micro-circuitry, such as transistors, sensors, transmitters and receivers, that can get wrinkled, are bendable and stretchable, just like real skin is, yet allowing damage-free function of all components.

Envisaged biomedical applications would allow wearers freedom of movement, avoiding the obtrusive, uncomfortable methods, using adhesive tapes and wires to attach devices to people. The main reason for this is that smart skin is only 50 microns thick and light enough to stay attached to real skin without glue or adhesive, through surface forces.

In terms of power consumption, it is so low that no battery will be needed for most applications. The device can use ambient sources of energy to harvest, whether those would be miniaturized solar cells or the movements of its wearer.

MC10, set up in Cambridge, Massachusetts is heading the efforts to commercialise the smart skin technology.

Implantable devices
The use of implanted medical devices for long term monitoring of medical conditions presents a challenge in terms of a renewable power source. These devices require a self sufficient power source that does not interact with its surroundings and batteries are impractical due to their need for replacement.

The body represents an excellent source of thermal as well as mechanical energy. Thermal gradients are present on the surface of the skin and may be used for external skin mounted sensors. Vibrational energy scavenging is also a viable source of renewable energy and devices powered by the human heartbeat have been created. Electricity to power implanted medical devices can be harvested from the pulse of a blood vessel, a gentle breeze, or the motion from walking.

Technology developments
Mr David Icke, CEO of MC10 will be discussing smart skin developments at the upcoming IDTechEx event, Energy Harvesting & Storage and Wireless Sensor Networks USA. Also talking at the event is Dr Elizabeth K Reilly of Exponent Engineering and Scientific Consulting, who will be discussing energy scavenging and battery power for long term medical monitoring. Reilly's past research at the University of California, Berkeley focused on the development of microscale energy scavenging devices while Exponent provide solutions to solve a variety of challenges associated with device design, performance, and interaction with their environment including cardiovascular, neurovascular, peripheral endovascular, pulmonary, tracheal-bronchial, biliary and renal (CVNP) implantable devices.

Exhibiting at the show is Zarlink Semiconductor who delivers mixed-signal chip technologies for communication and medical applications and ultra low-power radios enabling new wireless medical devices and therapies. Zarlink is involved in the TIPS (Thin Interconnect Package Stack) Project which concentrates on the creation of complex electronics in ultra-thin stacked packages with a maximum layer thickness of 0.10 mm. Zarlink's ultra-low power RF system-on-chip solution allows the integration of wireless functionality into advanced sensor and date streaming applications without impacting battery life with applications including wireless implants and ingestible low-power sensors.

The following future events are scheduled

Printed Electronics & Photovoltaics USA 2011 | November 30-December 1 | Santa Clara, CA | www.IDTechEx.com/peUSA

Electric Vehicles: Land, Sea & Air USA 2012 | March 27-28 | San Jose, CA | www.IDTechEx.com/evUSA

Printed Electronics & Photovoltaics Europe 2012 | April 3-4 | Berlin, Germany | www.IDTechEx.com/peEUROPE

For further information view the relevant website or contact Cara Harrington at: c.harrington@IDTechEx.com   Refer to page 367

New Thermo Fisher Scientific industrial gas system:
Performance, speed and sensitivity for multi-component gas analysis

Thermo Fisher Scientific has added enhancements to its Antaris Industrial Gas System (IGS)  that improve performance, speed, ease-of-use and sensitivity. The Antaris IGS now offers faster scan speeds (to 5 Hz at 0.5 cm^-1 resolution) and enhanced electronic and communication capabilities to support more rapid scanning. Based on Thermo Fisher Scientific's renowned Nicolet 6700 Fourier transform interferometer, the Antaris IGS is an FTIR-based analyzer capable of monitoring dozens of gases simultaneously while providing accurate and fast multi-component gas analysis. It is a highly configurable gas analyzer that is used in a wide scope of industrial analyses, particularly in emerging green energy applications such as landfill methane gas analysis. The Antaris IGS is also ideal for the ever-changing needs of the automotive, chemical and environmental industries.

Landfills provide ideal conditions for methanogenesis, with landfill gas comprised of approximately 40-60 percent methane. Today, significant amounts of waste are slowly decaying under the ground in landfill sites, and methane is produced for years after sites are closed. As this methane escapes, either directly into the atmosphere or by diffusion through the cover soil, it greatly contributes to global warming. To mitigate this issue, many landfills deploy gas collection systems that not only prevent escape, but also capture high-quality, contaminant-free gas for use in power generation. The new Antaris IGS is a key part of this process, providing fast, sensitive and reliable monitoring of landfill methane gas so it can be reused as a source of green energy.

Thermo Fisher Scientific has added enhancements to its Antaris Industrial Gas System (IGS)  that improve performance, speed, ease-of-use and sensitivity.

Thermo Fisher Scientific offers pre-calibrated gas analysis methods for the Antaris IGS, allowing  users to quickly deploy it without extensive setup and calibration delays. Operated using the Thermo Scientific RESULT software, the Antaris IGS includes easy-to-use tools for routine analysis, method development, method transfer, operation setup and data analysis.

The Antaris IGS is highly configurable, offering a choice of detectors, gas cells and other components that enable users to tailor the system to fit the needs of a range of challenging gas analysis applications. The analyzer is available in both industrial rack-mount and table-top configurations, and it can be used as a standalone unit or be incorporated into a larger gas analysis system. 

Brian Davies, vice president and general manager of molecular spectroscopy and microanalysis, Thermo Fisher Scientific, comments: "At Thermo Fisher Scientific, we always value our customers' feedback and use it as a basis for creating the next scientific innovations. Developed with input from industry market leaders, the new Thermo Scientific Antaris IGS offers a solution to specific and demanding gas analysis needs. This multi-component gas analyzer combines fast scan speeds for gas analysis in an industrial design for rapid and repeatable results. It is cost-effective, easy-to-use and dependable."

For further information, e-mail: marketing.informatics@thermofisher.com or view website: www.thermoscientific.com/informatics  Refer to next page   

Dolomite's new Piezoelectric Pumps
for accurate liquid handling in microfluidic systems

Dolomite, a world leader in microfluidic design and manufacture, has launched a new range of Piezoelectric Pumps providing a flexible solution for handling small volumes of fluid within microfluidic systems.

Extremely small in size, the lightweight Piezoelectric Pumps are ideal for easy integration into experimental set-ups and can be used in portable microfluidic devices. Their unique technology uses the piezoelectric effect which converts electrical energy into mechanical energy for the actuation of a diaphragm, resulting in fluid movement through the diaphragm chamber. By varying the applied voltage and frequency, the flow rate can be adjusted from 3ml/min to a maximum of 20ml/min enabling experimental parameters to be optimised.

The pump features two fluid ports which can be connected to soft tubing with an internal diameter of 0.8mm, 1.6mm or 2.4mm. Providing a flexible low power pump solution which fits into tight spaces, the Piezoelectric Pumps enhance instrument development and benefit a wide range of industries including consumer electronics, medical instruments, fuel cells and microfluidic experimentations.

Dolomite also provides a compact Piezoelectric Pump Controller for the flexible control of up to two pumps for applications such as point of care diagnostics where a sample and reagent are mixed together in a microfluidic system. The Controller features a memory function to store the latest setting used enabling users to quickly setup the micropumps within their fluidic systems.

For further information, view website: www.dolomite-microfluidics.com  Refer to page 241