2008-2009
Micro-droplets i-teams update – now a funded start-up company!
"As inventors we always believed that our microfluidic picodroplet technique was revolutionary, and that it could have a wide range of applications. We wanted to work with i-Teams to help us identify commercial uses outside of our own sphere of knowledge. The i-Team delivered excellent results for us, highlighting new applications and identifying the key…
Passive RFID Tracking System for an Intelligent Airport
Contacts: Sithamparanathan Sabesan, CAPE Mentor: Amy Weatherup RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags are widely used as a passive means of identifying items, in particular being used by retailers to track high value goods. Their main limitation has been the short range over which the tags can be detected. The research team at CAPE has been working…
Photonic Bio-sensors Based on Novel Polymer Waveguides
Contacts: Nikos Bamiedakis & Joseph Beals, CAPE Mentor: John Loveluck, 42 Technology The research team at CAPE has been focusing on developing new light-based electronics using a novel polymer material from Dow Corning. They are now interested in finding other commercial applications for the material, in particular in the field of photonic (light-based) biosensors. The polymer materials have…
Combining mobile phones, medical devices and temperature
Contacts: Dr. Shamus Husheer, Cambridge Temperature Concepts Mentor: Caren Weinberg Cambridge Temperature Concepts Ltd (CTC) is a recent university spin-out, which started in the college rooms of graduate students, won multiple university business plan competitions, and raised funding from local Angel investors. CTC has developed a highly precise body-worn wireless temperature logger, initially aimed at the…
Finding applications for micro-hotplates as gas sensors and more
Contacts: Dr. Florin Udrea, Electrical Engineering Mentor: Adrian Swinburne The team of researchers led by Dr Udrea have been developing micro-hotplates using CMOS silicon-on-insulator technology, with the intention of using them as gas sensors. However, the devices may have a broader usefulness, and the i-Team will be asked to investigate. Cambridge CMOS Sensors is a new Cambridge…
Measuring peripheral vision in small children
Contact: Dr. Adar Pelah, CUED & York University, and Dr. Louise Allen, Consultant Paediatric Ophthalmologist, Addenbrookes Hospital Mentors: Bob Pettigrew & Dr. Nicky Athanassopoulou Dr. Pelah and Dr. Allen have designed a new ophthalmic device (perimeter) which can measure the visual field of small children. A first prototype is currently being built by an MEng student at…
Finding real-world uses for microcantilever chemical sensors
Contact: Professor Stephen Elliott, Chemistry Mentor: Dr. Julian White The team of researchers led by Professor Elliott have been developing a system of MEMS-based sensors for measuring chemical compositions, including both sampling and callibration techniques. The method uses commercially-available MEMS chips which contain an array of microcantilevers. The microcantilevers are coated with polymer-based receptor layers, and then…
A one-cent magnetoelectric sensor
Contacts: Dr. Neil Mathur, Materials Science & Professor Jim Scott, Earth Science Mentors: Andy Milton & Richard Bown, Innovia Technology Reference: Israel C, Mathur N D, and Scott J F, A one-cent room-temperature magnetoelectric sensor; NATURE MATERIALS 7, 93-94 (2008) The team of researchers from Materials Science and Earth Sciences have discovered a one-cent, room-temperature magnetoelectric sensor based on…
Simulating vision and motion impairment
Contacts: Dr. Sam Waller, Cambridge Engineering Design Centre Mentors: Tim Goldrein & Megan Morys, Innovia Technology Background Information: The inclusive design toolkit (www.inclusivedesigntoolkit.com) and usability evaluation tools (www.inclusivedesigntoolkit.com/betterdesign/knowledge/evaltools/index.html) Mentors: Pierre Far & Alan Cucknell, Innovia Technology The inclusive design group at the Cambridge Engineering Design Centre have developed gloves and glasses which reduce the functional ability of the eyes…