The LOTUS team has developed multiple innovative results:
- The LOTUS sensor: which is capable of monitoring multiple chemicals simultaneously and on the same chip. Today, the parameters that the LOTUS chip is measuring are available with other sensors, but those sensors will be separate devices (one for the measurement of each parameter), the results will be bulkier, and it will be more expensive. In addition to the TRL advancements during the project, the team has led to an important qualitative improvement in the sensor design leading to a reduction of the projected sales price from 4000€ to below 1000€, which is essential to reach the Indian market. The LOTUS sensor is innovative in various aspects: it is capable of measuring multiple parameters at the same time (and new parameters can be added); it allows multiple sensing while not being bigger/bulkier and at a very competitive cost; it is 10 times smaller than any other multiparameter sensor on the market; it allows real-time water quality monitoring, can work wired or wire-less and the data produced can be analysed either using online or offline tools.
- The LOTUS box: which serves as a data hub, connecting the sensor to IT systems using various data transmission protocols. In the LOTUS Box, the data is processed and finally, the box forwards the refined data to the cloud to be reviewed and analysed by experts. The main advantages of the LOTUS box are its adaptability (it can be connected to various sensors already available on the market), its high connectivity, (meaning that it can be connected to any kind of network (5G/4G, WIFI, etc.)), and its unique energy management system which allows for very low power consumption and low energy footprint.
- The LOTUS platform: is a powerful tool to create data on water quality and by integrating LOTUS new sensors into advanced ICT technologies, it can improve water management (real time/operational and off-line/strategic). The LOTUS cloud-based water quality monitoring platform aims to capture the water quality data collected from the actual field.
- The LOTUS software tools: The project has developed several software solutions for the monitoring and management of water systems, including an algorithm for sensor placement in piped water systems, an algorithm for the detection of abnormal situations in large piped water systems, a complete series of tools for the management of tanker-based water distribution systems to make the delivery of water efficient and safe, a software for the optimization of the amount of water used in irrigation, and advanced control algorithms for wastewater treatment plants.
- The system for onsite chlorine generation (OCG): was developed, constructed, shipped to India and installed for testing purposes at IITG by Autarcon. The OCG is capable of producing sufficient chlorine directly at the site, where water tankers fill their tanks. The station provides chlorine stock solution to the water from an intermediate chlorine stock solution storage tank (SSST). During the periods, when the tankers are not commuting, the OCG unit produces chlorine stock solution in small batches until the SSST is filled. That way the demand for chlorine is decoupled from the production (small quantities throughout the whole day) and the OCG unit can be comparatively small. Further, a unit to adjust the chlorine concentration inside the water tank on the water tanker was developed. The station will dose chlorine stock solution from a small SSST installed on the tanker into the water whenever the LOTUS sensor triggers a “low chlorine” signal.
For these solutions, 11 IPR have been identified and 3 patents have been filled for the LOTUS technologies. Moreover, a joint EU-India start-up, Hydroscope, was created and is in charge of the industrialization and selling of the sensor. The startup is a spin-off of two universities and a private company: Uni Eiffel (Paris, France), IITG (Guwahati, Assam), Pyrotech Workforce (Udaipur, Rajasthan).
