Periodic Report Summary - FLEXSMELL (Gas Sensors on Flexible Substrates for Wireless Applications)
Project objectives
FLEXSMELL is an initial training networks (ITN) project which aims at preparing 13 ESRs and eight ERs in the framework of PhD and post-doc programmes on the field of technologies related to smart chemical sensing tags based on radio frequency identification (RFID) for food freshness & quality traceability control through packaging. The FLEXSMELL concept is to realise a hybrid (organic-inorganic technologies based) very low-cost, ultra low-power olfaction system based on odorant binding bio-receptors immobilised on transducers implemented on a flexible substrate. The proposed S&T methodology is to integrate, in a grid-like structure, research (thematic) work packages (WPs) and complementary methodical approaches (MAs). The different and complementary methodical approaches will assure the acquisition of key relevant fundamentals on advanced sensing devices and systems along with a series of enabling technologies such as for instance: thin film processes of sensing materials on flexible foils, bio-compatible printing, transducers for the realisation of organic chemical/biological sensors, integration of wireless read-out electronics, compatibility with standard packaging manufacturing procedures such as extrusion.
Work performed since the beginning of the project
As far as recruitment is concerned the Network has been rather successful in recruiting ESR within the originally planned time frame nevertheless several adjustment have been made to the original plan and these have been listed in the midterm report and fully justified and discussed with project officer and external peer reviewer. An extensive advertising of positions on national and international (EU) websites have been performed. The whole table of positions was also disseminated during all the conferences where partners had the chance to present their research results. Since the beginning of the project different training activities have already been implemented at individual, node and Network level and the scientific activity of the FLEXSMELL network has progressed as originally planned, focussing almost exclusively on the first two WPs described in the original program. These are WP1 'Organic semiconductors and odorant receptors selection and deposition' and WP2 'Sensing devices design, fabrication and testing'. Across the hiring, training and research activities an intensive network management effort was carried out especially from the coordinator side who hired a team of two, executive and financial, project managers. Network management was fully supported by principal investigators (PIs) at all network nodes that promptly reacted at each coordinator input.
Results achieved
Till now all (13) ESRs and five ERs of the network were recruited. The women portion among the hired researchers is at the moment of about 30 %. Even though some late recruitment happened, the collaboration of different nodes in the hiring procedure has to be considered as the first success of the Network. Indeed during such process the coordinator partner kept a list of candidates and the current status of each application. Therefore, if one candidate did not have a suitable background for one partner, it happened that another partner was able to employ him. Different training activities have already been carried out at individual, node and Network level. Short visits and secondments have been mostly planned and some of those have already started. A full description of such activities has been reported in the midterm report and details of each node activities as well as specific training of individual fellows have been reported. All hired ESRs and ERs have prepared and submitted individual career development plan and individual secondment plan. As far as scientific achievements are concerned all the deliverables that were identified for the first reporting period have been accomplished to a certain extent. All the network teams have successfully implemented their research strategies and began the collaborative project. Additional scientific activities have been implemented, mainly due to the progress of research in the different teams between the times of submission of the final stage proposal to the actual start date of the project. The research program has developed well also thanks to the constructive and collaborative work between the different Network groups. Besides progress achieved several scientific publications have been published and some others are under preparation. The progress of the scientific work was somewhat slowed down by the difficulties due to the strong interdisciplinary nature of the project that took times to ESRs to adapt, especially because they had to pick-up several different preliminary base knowledge on the project topic and spend time in several research training enabling them to independently work on their project. Another activity carried out across the network has been the network management. Since now this has involved meeting organisation (kick-off, first annual and mid-term meeting), creation of project website, the hiring process and position advertising, reporting and deliverable management, distributing tasks to partners and fellows, career development progress, secondment plans definition, management of slight deviations from the original plan and financial supervision.
Expected final results and their potential impact and use
FLEXSMELL network main expectation is to train a new class of scientists in the field of smart gas sensing systems developing an olfaction platform through the in-foil and on-plastic integration of advanced microsensors and organic or hybrid organic/inorganic electronic devices. In particular FLEXSMELL seeks to develop wireless compatible applications, such as smart tags for food packaging and monitoring. Here industrial partners act as driving force within the network. Even though prototype is out of scope of the project, one of the major desirable outputs would be building a strong and interconnected academic-industrial partnership for future industrial projects developments. Such a new interdisciplinary technological field, indeed, opens huge perspectives in terms of industrial exploitation of FLEXSMELL scientific results. An industrial project follow-up is then highly desirable to happen, possibly involving also the researches trained within the network. In particular expected FLEXSMELL technical results will focus on applications such as a smart label for food packaging that will allow to remotely control key parameters connected to the release of substances such as: ethylene from vegetables and fruit, aldehydes associated with rancidity, oxidative products associated with printing inks (tainting of the product), esters and amines produced during food ripening or even deterioration. From the involved fellows point of view FLEXSMELL project is already providing them with the great opportunity of an international and intercultural research training also providing them with their first work experience in a research environment. This is supposed to reflect a considerable impact on the European scientific community in the field of smart sensor systems for gas environment detection in food packaging applications. Dissemination activities of the network aimed at improving the civil society perception of the FLEXSMELL network experience were also performed.
FLEXSMELL is an initial training networks (ITN) project which aims at preparing 13 ESRs and eight ERs in the framework of PhD and post-doc programmes on the field of technologies related to smart chemical sensing tags based on radio frequency identification (RFID) for food freshness & quality traceability control through packaging. The FLEXSMELL concept is to realise a hybrid (organic-inorganic technologies based) very low-cost, ultra low-power olfaction system based on odorant binding bio-receptors immobilised on transducers implemented on a flexible substrate. The proposed S&T methodology is to integrate, in a grid-like structure, research (thematic) work packages (WPs) and complementary methodical approaches (MAs). The different and complementary methodical approaches will assure the acquisition of key relevant fundamentals on advanced sensing devices and systems along with a series of enabling technologies such as for instance: thin film processes of sensing materials on flexible foils, bio-compatible printing, transducers for the realisation of organic chemical/biological sensors, integration of wireless read-out electronics, compatibility with standard packaging manufacturing procedures such as extrusion.
Work performed since the beginning of the project
As far as recruitment is concerned the Network has been rather successful in recruiting ESR within the originally planned time frame nevertheless several adjustment have been made to the original plan and these have been listed in the midterm report and fully justified and discussed with project officer and external peer reviewer. An extensive advertising of positions on national and international (EU) websites have been performed. The whole table of positions was also disseminated during all the conferences where partners had the chance to present their research results. Since the beginning of the project different training activities have already been implemented at individual, node and Network level and the scientific activity of the FLEXSMELL network has progressed as originally planned, focussing almost exclusively on the first two WPs described in the original program. These are WP1 'Organic semiconductors and odorant receptors selection and deposition' and WP2 'Sensing devices design, fabrication and testing'. Across the hiring, training and research activities an intensive network management effort was carried out especially from the coordinator side who hired a team of two, executive and financial, project managers. Network management was fully supported by principal investigators (PIs) at all network nodes that promptly reacted at each coordinator input.
Results achieved
Till now all (13) ESRs and five ERs of the network were recruited. The women portion among the hired researchers is at the moment of about 30 %. Even though some late recruitment happened, the collaboration of different nodes in the hiring procedure has to be considered as the first success of the Network. Indeed during such process the coordinator partner kept a list of candidates and the current status of each application. Therefore, if one candidate did not have a suitable background for one partner, it happened that another partner was able to employ him. Different training activities have already been carried out at individual, node and Network level. Short visits and secondments have been mostly planned and some of those have already started. A full description of such activities has been reported in the midterm report and details of each node activities as well as specific training of individual fellows have been reported. All hired ESRs and ERs have prepared and submitted individual career development plan and individual secondment plan. As far as scientific achievements are concerned all the deliverables that were identified for the first reporting period have been accomplished to a certain extent. All the network teams have successfully implemented their research strategies and began the collaborative project. Additional scientific activities have been implemented, mainly due to the progress of research in the different teams between the times of submission of the final stage proposal to the actual start date of the project. The research program has developed well also thanks to the constructive and collaborative work between the different Network groups. Besides progress achieved several scientific publications have been published and some others are under preparation. The progress of the scientific work was somewhat slowed down by the difficulties due to the strong interdisciplinary nature of the project that took times to ESRs to adapt, especially because they had to pick-up several different preliminary base knowledge on the project topic and spend time in several research training enabling them to independently work on their project. Another activity carried out across the network has been the network management. Since now this has involved meeting organisation (kick-off, first annual and mid-term meeting), creation of project website, the hiring process and position advertising, reporting and deliverable management, distributing tasks to partners and fellows, career development progress, secondment plans definition, management of slight deviations from the original plan and financial supervision.
Expected final results and their potential impact and use
FLEXSMELL network main expectation is to train a new class of scientists in the field of smart gas sensing systems developing an olfaction platform through the in-foil and on-plastic integration of advanced microsensors and organic or hybrid organic/inorganic electronic devices. In particular FLEXSMELL seeks to develop wireless compatible applications, such as smart tags for food packaging and monitoring. Here industrial partners act as driving force within the network. Even though prototype is out of scope of the project, one of the major desirable outputs would be building a strong and interconnected academic-industrial partnership for future industrial projects developments. Such a new interdisciplinary technological field, indeed, opens huge perspectives in terms of industrial exploitation of FLEXSMELL scientific results. An industrial project follow-up is then highly desirable to happen, possibly involving also the researches trained within the network. In particular expected FLEXSMELL technical results will focus on applications such as a smart label for food packaging that will allow to remotely control key parameters connected to the release of substances such as: ethylene from vegetables and fruit, aldehydes associated with rancidity, oxidative products associated with printing inks (tainting of the product), esters and amines produced during food ripening or even deterioration. From the involved fellows point of view FLEXSMELL project is already providing them with the great opportunity of an international and intercultural research training also providing them with their first work experience in a research environment. This is supposed to reflect a considerable impact on the European scientific community in the field of smart sensor systems for gas environment detection in food packaging applications. Dissemination activities of the network aimed at improving the civil society perception of the FLEXSMELL network experience were also performed.