Roadmapping: The Game Plan

Since the Center’s initiation three years ago, MIRTHE has come a long way. It has successfully deployed QCL sensors in Beijing, has begun clinical testing of Mid-IR detectors in breath analysis, and has created a wide range of sensors which can operate at room temperature. The costs, weight, size and sensitivity of the sensors vary greatly now and will likely continue to vary, but as the techniques get better and the process for making the QCLs become more efficient, the goal of highly accurate point sensors which can cost only a few hundred dollars is something that seems possible.

This is where we stand. The question now is to characterize where we want to go. In environmental sensing, this means creating networks of sensors which can communicate wirelessly and handle huge amounts of data to determine pollution sources or describe environmental systems. In medicine, this means creating handheld, accurate and efficient NH3 detectors which can diagnosis patient-specific treatments for liver or kidney disease. In homeland security, this means developing sensors which can replace bomb sniffing dogs to create safer detection systems in dangerous areas. This is a short list, but we could go on to discuss QCL sensors in automobiles, green buildings, power plants, chemical plants, atmospheric sensing, public health, cancer detection and many other applications. We believe each of these applications have specific requirements making a “universal sensor” irrelevant; we plan on coupling projects which require similar sensors, and will define the characteristics (costs, capabilities, design specs, etc) needed for businesses and government organizations to institute such systems. In the end, the roadmap will identify specifications of the final products, and will discuss the best path to get to the final products.

We have begun calling members of MIRTHE working on projects as well as those involved in the industries today. If you are reading this and want to talk with us sooner, please send an email to pschram@princeton.edu. We would look forward to hearing from you.

In other news, Claire’s lab welcomed a group of high school students to join in her research yesterday. Since then, the lab candy jar has been depleted at an alarming rate. More developments on this later.