| 1. |
- Casalinuovo, Silvia, et al.
(författare)
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3D-Printed Face Mask with Integrated Sensors as Protective and Monitoring Tool
- 2023
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Ingår i: Sensors and Microsystems. - Cham : Springer Nature Switzerland. - 9783031257087 - 9783031257063
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The outbreak of the recent Covid-19 pandemic changed many aspects of our daily life, such as the constant wearing of face masks as protection from virus transmission risks. Furthermore, it exposed the healthcare system’s fragilities, showing the urgent need to design a more inclusive model that takes into account possible future emergencies, together with population’s aging and new severe pathologies. In this framework, face masks can be both a physical barrier against viruses and, at the same time, a telemedical diagnostic tool. In this paper, we propose a low-cost, 3D-printed face mask able to protect the wearer from virus transmission, thanks to internal FFP2 filters, and to monitor the air quality (temperature, humidity, CO2) inside the mask. Acquired data are automatically transmitted to a web terminal, thanks to sensors and electronics embedded in the mask. Our preliminary results encourage more efforts in these regards, towards rapid, inexpensive and smart ways to integrate more sensors into the mask’s breathing zone in order to use the patient’s breath as a fingerprint for various diseases.
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| 2. |
- Casalinuovo, Silvia, et al.
(författare)
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AuNP-coated cotton as VOC sensor for disease detection from breath
- 2023
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Ingår i: Proceedings of SIE 2022. - Cham : Springer Nature Switzerland. - 9783031260667 - 9783031260650
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, declared in March 2020, has led to several behavioral changes in the general population, such as social distancing and mask usage among others. Furthermore, the sanitary emergency has stressed health system weaknesses in terms of disease prevention, diagnosis, and cure. Thus, smart technologies allowing for early and quick detection of diseases are called for. In this framework, the development of point-of-care devices can provide new solutions for sanitary emergencies management. This work focuses on the development of useful tools for early disease diagnosis based on nanomaterials on cotton substrates, to obtain a low-cost and easy-to-use detector of breath volatiles as disease markers. Specifically, we report encouraging experimental results concerning acetone detection through impedance measurements. Such findings can pave the way to the implementation of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) sensors into smart and user friendly diagnostic devices.
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| 3. |
- Casalinuovo, Silvia, et al.
(författare)
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Cotone funzionalizzato con nanoparticelle d'oro come promettente substrato flessibile ed ecologico per il rilevamento impedometrico di COV [Gold Nanoparticles-Functionalized Cotton as Promising Flexible and Green Substrate for Impedometric VOC Detection]
- 2023
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Ingår i: Materials. - : MDPI. - 1996-1944. ; 16
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Questo lavoro si concentra sulla possibile applicazione di nanoparticelle d'oro su tessuti di cotone flessibili come substrati sensibili all'acetone e all'etanolo mediante misurazioni di impedenza. Nello specifico, nanoparticelle d'oro (NP Au) funzionalizzate con citrato e polivinilpirrolidone (PVP) sono state sintetizzate utilizzando procedure verdi e consolidate e depositate su tessuto di cotone. Una caratterizzazione strutturale e morfologica completa è stata condotta utilizzando la spettroscopia UV-VIS e infrarossa a trasformata di Fourier (FT-IR), la microscopia a forza atomica (AFM) e la microscopia elettronica a scansione (SEM). Una caratterizzazione dielettrica dettagliata del substrato vuoto ha rivelato effetti di polarizzazione interfacciale legati sia alle NP Au che alla loro specifica funzionalizzazione superficiale. Ad esempio, rivestendo interamente il tessuto di cotone (ovvero creando una matrice più isolante), è stato riscontrato che il PVP aumenta la resistenza del campione, ovvero diminuisce l'interconnessione elettrica delle NP Au rispetto al campione funzionalizzato con citrato. Tuttavia, è stato osservato che la funzionalizzazione del citrato ha fornito una distribuzione uniforme delle NP Au, che ha ridotto la loro spaziatura e, quindi, facilitato il trasporto degli elettroni. Per quanto riguarda il rilevamento dei composti organici volatili (COV), le misurazioni della spettroscopia di impedenza elettrochimica (EIS) hanno mostrato che il legame idrogeno e la risultante impedenza di migrazione protonica sono fondamentali per distinguere l'etanolo dall'acetone.
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| 4. |
- Casalinuovo, Silvia, et al.
(författare)
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Measurements of Exhaled CO2 Through a Novel Telemedicine Tool
- 2023
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Ingår i: Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering, vol 1113. Springer, Cham.. - : Springer Nature. - 9783031487101 - 9783031487118 ; , s. 396-401
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Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper proposes a telemedicine tool (complete of hardware, software and 3D printed face mask) for analyzing exhaled carbon dioxide (CO2) levels. Our interest in CO2 pattern is due to its correlation to psychological and physiological health status. To achieve this information, we developed a customized printed circuit board equipped with a CO2 sensor for breath analysis, a microcontroller, a WiFi module for data transmission, and a battery for enabling an autonomous device. We also developed an interactive web page for the users and a database for daily remote data management. The device was tested on two healthy subjects of different ages and with different lifestyles. The results highlighted that the younger subject presents increased CO2 values as a direct link to a more active life. We consider these promising results for testing our device on a major cohort of observational studies.
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| 5. |
- Domènech-Gil, Guillem, Mr. Doctor, et al.
(författare)
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Machine Learning for Enhanced Operation of Underperforming Sensors in Humid Conditions
- 2023
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- By using a single sensor as a virtual electronic nose, we demonstrate the possibility of obtaining good results with underperforming sensors that, at first glance, would be discarded. For this aim, we characterized chemical gas sensors with low repeatability and random drift towards both dangerous and innocuous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) under different levels of relative humidity. Our results show classification accuracies higher than 90% when differentiating harmful from harmless VOCs and coefficients of determination, R2, higher than 80% when determining their concentrationin the parts per billion to parts per million range.
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| 6. |
- Puglisi, Donatella, 1980-, et al.
(författare)
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Enabling Lifelong Learning by Using Multiple Engagement Tools
- 2023
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the 19th International CDIO Conference. - 9788230361863 ; , s. 633-643
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study aims to identify effective engagement tools and strategies that may strengthen student learning processes with a long-term impact. The context of learning plays an active role in student performance and needs to be carefully considered when designing collaborative learning environments. In the framework of a CDIO course entitled Project Course in Applied Physics (12 ECTS), master’s students in applied physics, electrical engineering, biomedical engineering, material science and nanotechnology work in groups of four to seven people for realizing their own project idea given three broad requirements: (i) use gas sensors, (ii) manage a certain maximum budget to purchase components, and (iii) build a working prototypefor any indoor air quality monitoring application of interest for them and their customer. Groupsare generally multicultural and multidisciplinary. Qualified supervision and skills training activities are adapted to facilitate the students’ progress and guarantee the success of their project work. Based on observations, feedback, and results over a five-year period, this approach appears more engaging and inspiring for both students and teachers compared to more defined projects. Encouraging the students to conceive their own original ideas, involving them in the co-creation of the learning process, and building knowledge, understanding, and skills through a variety of engaging experiences, helps their motivation, interest, active participation, and creativity with a direct impact on the quality of their learning. As an example of successful project work, here we report on two groups of students at Linköping University, Sweden, who have recently designed, developed, and tested an innovative sensor system prototype for smart monitoring of gas and particle emissions from cooking activities. The project course has received 5.0/5.0 as an overall students’ evaluation.
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