Graphene sensors: introduction and market status - Page 12

Advanced Material Development recently announced a new InnovateUK Analysis 4 Innovators grant to work on validating its next generation novel nanomaterial-based gas sensors. AMD is working with the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) on the development and testing of devices using advanced testing equipment, and measurement and analysis experience.

The next generation of air quality monitors will rely on low power sensing elements which can be connected remotely to support more detailed and localized emissions monitoring. This three-month project seeks to validate novel nanomaterial-based sensors which AMD has recently developed utilizing its functionalized nanomaterials. For instance, AMD's Photonic Crystal work incorporates various nanomaterials into the polymeric structure, of which graphene is the main constituent.

Emberion recently raised €6 million in funding to further develop their infrared imaging business. Currently, Emberion is one of the leaders in the development of these technologies, enabled by graphene and other layered materials.

Graphene Flagship partner Emberion develops high-performance SWIR sensors for imaging technologies. These devices detect light in both the visible and short-wave infrared (SWIR) wavelengths, enabling new applications in machine vision used in surveillance, autonomous driving, food processing, waste sorting, and more. Emberion also leads Graphene Flagship Spearhead Project GBIRCAM, to design cheaper and more efficient broadband infrared devices.

Researchers the UK and Spain have demonstrated that tiny graphene neural probes can be used safely to improve our understanding of the causes of epilepsy.

The graphene depth neural probe (gDNP) consists of a millimeter-long linear array of micro-transistors imbedded in a micrometer-thin polymeric flexible substrate. The transistors were developed by a collaboration between The University of Manchester’s Neuromedicine Lab and UCL’s Institute of Neurology along with their Graphene Flagship partners.

Researchers at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) have developed a novel graphene-based biosensor, set to drive new innovations in brain-controlled robotics.

The biosensor adheres to the skin of the face and head in order to detect electrical signals being sent by the brain. These signals can be translated into commands to control autonomous robotic systems. The sensor, made of epitaxial graphene grown onto a silicon carbide on silicon substrate, overcomes the major challenges of corrosion, durability and skin-contact resistance.

Researchers at Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST) and Otowa Electric, a lightning protection equipment manufacturer, have used graphene as an electric field sensor that can detect both positive and negative electric fields.

The response of the sensor is recorded as the change in drain current under the application of an electric field. In addition, by systematic analysis, The team established the mechanism of the graphene electric field sensor, which was found to be different from what they expected.

FLAG-ERA has announced the funding of 10 new projects on graphene and related materials, which will become partnering projects of the Graphene Flagship. The projects split between basic and applied research and innovation, covering areas from magnetic memories and photodetectors to novel batteries and neural inter-faces.

The FLAG-ERA initiative establishes links between the EU-funded FET Flagship projects and national and regional funding agencies in Member States. Through different strategies, FLAG-ERA fosters multi-disciplinary collaborations to expand the scope of the Graphene Flagship and the Human Brain Project. Among these was their latest Joint Transnational Call (JTC) 2021, announced earlier this year. JTC 2021 has resolved funding for the 10 projects, seven of which involve partners from widening countries like Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia and Turkey.

Graphwear, a startup developing graphene-based needle-free approaches to glucose monitoring, recently closed a $20.5 million Series B round. GraphWear is developing a skin-surface-level wearable made of graphene. The sensor is small, about the size of an Apple Watch — but the key piece of technology is actually housed on the bottom. It’s a thin slice of graphene that fits onto the back of the watch, or onto a sticker that can be worn on the abdomen.

Image by Graphwear

This Series B round will be focused on helping the company build upon previous validation studies of the wearable, completing a pivotal trial and submitting for FDA clearance. The round was led by Mayfield, with participation from MissionBio Capital, Builders VC and VSC Ventures.

Karlsruhe Institute Of Technology (KIT) and Technical University of Darmstadt researchers have developed graphene-enhanced sensors for molecules in the gas phase. The functional principle of this new type of sensors is based on sensitive graphene transistors and tailor-made organometallic coatings. This combination enables selective detection of molecules.

Fabrication of SURMOF/GFET process flow. Image from article

As a prototype, the authors of the new study demonstrated a specific ethanol sensor that, unlike currently available commercial sensors, does not react to other alcohols or moisture.

A new Swinburne-led startup, SensFit Technologies, has developed a smart shoe with inbuilt sensors, aiming to improve the quality of life of older people through the early detection of dementia, diabetic ulcers and other physical activity issues.

Unique sensor technology takes readings from the soles of the shoes. Image from Swinburne website

The unique technology is based on 87 smart sensors bonded with an innovative graphene ink that is embedded in the soles of a shoe. It was developed by startup co-founders Professor Franz Konstantin Fuss, a medical technologies researcher, and Dr. Nishar Hameed, whose research focuses on developing innovative technologies from advanced composite materials.

This is a guest-post by Jeffrey Draa, CEO at Grolltex - producing graphene biosensors on silicon chips today shows low yields, high cost and restrictive packaging options, limiting scalability and market penetration. But optimization may be here.

Monolayer, electronics grade graphene is propelling advanced biosensing in many key areas. Google the search term, ‘graphene biosensor’, and one will see thousands of next-generation, life enhancing applications being refined in research labs worldwide. This one atom thick material is creating biosensing and detection performance in speed and sensitivity not possible before. Areas such as cancer and virus detection, new drug discovery, genomics, allergens, glucose and many more are starting to see unimagined advances. By far, the number 1 use case for monolayer graphene films today is atomic level biosensing.