AcoustoFab: Contactless fabrication using acoustophoresis
Lead Research Organisation:
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON
Department Name: Computer Science
Abstract
Our team at UCL has developed a technology called acoustophoretic multimaterial contactless manufacturing (AMCM) to address several problems that plague many current fabrication technologies, such as contamination and unsafe handling of reagents, chemicals, biomaterials, food, and medicine. For example, industries and labs often face difficulties in handling small amounts of hazardous chemicals or in preventing contamination of food and medicine. AMCM allows for the contactless manipulation and fabrication of multiple objects (both solid and liquid) simultaneously in 3D space, using sound manipulating technologies such as transducer arrays and metamaterials. This technology has applications in contactless pick and place, cleaning, and 3D printing, and it enables the trapping of objects in 3D space, providing control over their mobility and speed. We envision that AMCM has the potential to be a world-leading technology in the field of contactless manipulation and fabrication, and we are proposing the use of AMCM in a system called AcoustoFab Systems, which could potentially become as ubiquitous as 3D printers.
| Description | The main objective of this grant is to develop a proof of concept prototype for an idea that emerged from our ERC Advanced grant. Through this PoC, we want to establish customer relations through demonstration of working prototypes to these specific market segments. We want to create awareness of our AcoustoFab capability and secure potential customers (such as Corning, Ultraleap and many others). We will use our prototypes to showcase AcoustoFab, demonstrating our ideas to existing industry contacts (in private viewings) and to find new potential clients at relevant tradeshows and industry events. The goal will be developing deeper relations with industries. Initially, the users can explore our prototypes for basic functionalities to see system capabilities and think of how it can fit in their system/device. Our prototypes can later be re-developed, refined, or planned to deliver functionalities which a company may require through a joint project or some other agreement. These customers will want us to develop a system in collaboration with them, resulting in IP to be outside our control. For this reason, we want to build initial prototypes and protect basic IP before we engage with customer-focused projects, maximizing our control on IP and its market impact. |
| Exploitation Route | Through a startup that the founders have setup. |
| Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
| URL | https://www.acoustofab.co.uk/ |
| Description | UCL - Barilla |
| Organisation | Barilla |
| Country | Italy |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Barilla is a food manufacturing company that has got an interest in our SSSM project. Specifically they are interested in how our SSSM can be applied to dispensing liquids in a 3D prinitng scenarion for their pasta printing start-up Bluraphsody. We have had some interactions with them and we submitted a proposal to EU based on this idea. |
| Collaborator Contribution | We are currently trying to get an NDA signed so we can visit Barilla in Italy and start a pilot partnership with them. |
| Impact | Awaiting an NDA from Barilla at this moment for concrete discussions on collaboration. We submitted an EU proposal for food called Levifood - however this was not successful (we heard the outcome in Jan 2025 after scoring 14.5 out of 15). |
| Start Year | 2024 |