From evaluation to licencing of low-cost miniature conductivity temperature and dissolved oxygen sensor technology
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Southampton
Department Name: Electronics and Computer Science
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Hywel Morgan (Principal Investigator) |
| Description | This project focused on developing new manufacturing and testing techniques for high quality miniature sensors. The sensors measure ocean temperature, salinity and Oxygen levels to extremely high accuracy. The are very small and consume small amounts of energy. This project developed new ways of mass manufacturing these sensors. Having completed long-term testing the sensors are being integrated into a larger system for deployment in the oceans |
| Exploitation Route | The technology is licensed to a company that will manufacture these sensors and deploy them in the marine and aquaculture fields. The current licence is for an evaluation of the technology. Primary targets are ocean metrology, pollution and waste water monitoring, and environmental analysis We have also exploited the core IP in this technology in a medical field and are developing miniature sensors to measure key biophysical parameters in the human body. The start-up company is called Vivoplex and was formed in 2017. It has completed the first animal trials and is now going through MHRA approval for first in-human trials of the devices. |
| Sectors | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment,Healthcare |
| Description | Findings from this award led to the commercialisation of a miniature ultra high precision sensor systems for monitoring the aquatic environment. These new sensors provide high quality data on ocean temperature, salinity and dissolved Oxygen. The sensors will be widely deployed on many different vehicles to map ocean parameters. The know-how and IP developed in this and previous projects concerning low power Oxygen monitoring technologies for environmental science has found applications in human and animal health monitoring as well as the original intended environmental field. Ultra-miniature sensors have been developed that measure Oxygen, Temperature and also pH for real-time analysis of key physiological indicators. The sensors have been licenced to an SME and will be used to monitor key physiological data obtained from implanatble systems in humans and animals. The technology has also been exploited in enabling new research in the field of organ-on-chip, allowing continuous recording of parameters like Oxygen and pH from micrp-physiological systems outside the body The core IP in the field of environmental sensing has an evaluation licence to a large sensor company and to a local SME |
| First Year Of Impact | 2016 |
| Sector | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment,Healthcare |
| Impact Types | Economic |
| Title | Apparatus for sensing at least one parameter in water - combined conductivity and DO sensor |
| Description | A miniature combined dissolved oxygen and conductivity sensor for high accuracy metrology. |
| IP Reference | US20150192534 |
| Protection | Patent granted |
| Year Protection Granted | 2015 |
| Licensed | Yes |
| Impact | None |
| Title | Apparatus with a Self-Cleaning Electrode for sensing at least one parameter in water. |
| Description | Marine Sensor with dissolved oxygen sensor, salinity sensor, temperature sensor and self cleaning mechanism. |
| IP Reference | US20150226697 |
| Protection | Patent granted |
| Year Protection Granted | 2015 |
| Licensed | Yes |
| Impact | None |
| Title | Dissolved Oxygen sensor with electrode conditioning waveform applied between measurements |
| Description | Miniature sensor for dissolved oxygen, salinity and temperature. Operates in a flow and has high accuracy and stability. Patent describes actual driving waveforms. |
| IP Reference | US20150212040 |
| Protection | Patent granted |
| Year Protection Granted | 2015 |
| Licensed | Yes |
| Impact | None at present |