Project description
Excitation spectroscopy: excitation response dynamics of samples in alternating electric field
The characterisation of materials and processes is critical to basic and applied science in many fields. Spectroscopy, the measurement of the absorption and emission of light and other radiation by matter, is a valuable tool. The EU-funded E-SPECTR project will optimise and prepare to commercialise its award-winning sensing approach, excitation spectroscopy. It is based on the excitation response dynamics of samples in an alternating electric field to optical, magnetic or thermal excitation, which provide information about the structure, behaviour and dielectric/electrochemical properties of objects and materials. The optimised technology will be tested in water quality monitoring and identification of complex biochemical substances during wine and honey production.
Objective
This sensing technology is based on the excitation-response dynamics of samples (organic objects and materials, tissues or fluids) embedded into alternating electric field. The system of samples-in-electric-field is excited in optical, magnetic or thermal way. Varying the frequency of the e-field, an analysis of excitation patterns over the frequency and time delivers information about structure, behavior and dielectric/electrochemical properties of objects and materials. Fully operational prototypes of the excitation spectrometer are produced; they demonstrated a high sensitivity and resolution of this approach, for instance, the sensor is able to detect small physicochemical differences between samples. The innovative applications are detections of low-concentrated chemical contaminations and non-chemical treatments in water quality monitoring, and an express identification of complex biochemical substances in field conditions (demonstrated in wine/honey production). The technological and economic impacts – as the enabling technology – are generated in the fields of material analysis in biology/chemistry, biotechnology, material science, and robotics. This sensing approach was awarded to the finale of Innovation Radar Prize 2016 in the category ‘Excellent Science’. The proposal describes a concrete strategy for targeting a global market of sensor devices. It is complementary to the ASSISI|bf project and allows extending its technological impact.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
CSA - Coordination and support actionCoordinator
70569 Stuttgart
Germany
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.