Proetex: protective e-textiles to enhance the safety of emergency/disaster operators: current state of the projects' achievements

Proetex is a European Integrated Project dedicated to the realization of a micro- and nano-technology-based wearable equipment for emergency operators. During the first 3 years of work, two different and progressively improved versions of a complete “smart” uniform for fire-fighters and emergency rescuers have been realized. These garments aim at monitoring both physiological parameters, position and posture of the operators and the presence of external potential sources of danger and to send these data to a remote coordinating unit. In the following, the main issues of the design and realization will be described and discussed

Lab-on-a-chip for multiplexed biosensing of residual antibiotics in milk

A multiplexed immunoassay-based antibiotic sensing device integrated in a lab-on-a-chip format is described. The approach is multidisciplinary and involves the convergent development of a multi-antibiotic competitive immunoassay based on sensitive wavelength interrogated optical sensor (WIOS) technology and a polymer-based self-contained microfluidic cartridge. Immunoassay solutions are pressure-driven through external and concerted actuation of a single syringe pump and multiposition valve. Moreover, the use of a novel photosensitive material in a one step fabrication process allowed the rapid fabrication of microfluidic components and interconnection port simultaneously. Pre-filled microfluidic cartridges were used as binary response rapid tests for the simultaneous detection of three antibiotic families – sulfonamides, fluoroquinolones and tetracyclines – in raw milk. For test interpretation, any signal lower than the threshold value obtained for the corresponding Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) concentration (100 µg L-1) was considered negative for a given antibiotic. The reliability of the multiplexed detection system was assessed by way of a validation test carried out on a series of six blind milk samples. A test accuracy of 95% was calculated from this experiment. The whole immunoassay procedure is fast (less than 10 minutes) and easy to handle (automated actuation)

Fiber-optic protease sensor based on the degradation of thin gelatin films

Despite increasing interest in situ monitoring of proteolytic activity in chronic wound is not possible and information can only be obtained by sampling wound exudate. In this context, we developed an evanescent wave (EW) fiber-optic sensor to quantify protease activity directly in the wound bed. Detection is based on the degradation of thin gelatin films deposited on the fiber core by dip-coating, which serve as a substrate for proteases. After staining with a chlorophyllin copper sodium salt biocompatible dye, EW absorption occurs proportionally to the dye concentration, which is detected by the variation in light transmission intensity. The sensor response varies proportionally to enzymatic activity, showing sensitivity against MMP-2 and MMP-9 down to 2 μg/mL and 10 μg/mL, respectively. In addition, it is sensitive to film thickness and crosslink density, thus allowing tuning of the sensitivity and lifetime. Designed to be totally biocompatible and low cost, this miniature sensor has potential for use as a point-of-care disposable device in a clinical environment to assist physicians with quantitative information about the wound healing process

Challenges of pin-point landing for planetary landing: the LION absolute vision-based navigation approach and experimental results

After ExoMars in 2016 and 2018, future ESA missions to Mars, the Moon, or asteroids will require safe and pinpoint precision landing capabilities, with for example a specified accuracy of typically 100 m at touchdown for a Moon landing. The safe landing requirement can be met thanks to state-of-the-art Terrain-Relative Navigation (TRN) sensors such as Wide-Field-of-View vision-based navigation cameras (VBNC), with appropriate hazard detection and avoidance algorithms. To reach the pinpoint precision requirement, on-board absolute navigation with respect to the landing site is mandatory, with a typical accuracy better than 100 m at touchdown for a Lunar mission, or below 10 km at entry interface for a Mars landing missions. In this paper, we present the validation approach and experimental results of an Absolute Visual Navigation system (AVN) known as Lion. The Lion functional architecture will be first presented, as well as the implemented incremental validation and verification approach ; experimental set-up and end-to-end tests results will be summarized. Finally, way forward and lessons learned will be discussed

Biosensors Based on Porous Cellulose Nanocrystal–Poly(vinyl Alcohol) Scaffolds

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), which offer a high aspect ratio, large specific surface area, and large number of reactive surface groups, are well suited for the facile immobilization of high density biological probes. We here report functional high surface area scaffolds based on cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and poly­(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and demonstrate that this platform is useful for fluorescence-based sensing schemes. Porous CNC/PVA nanocomposite films with a thickness of 25–70 nm were deposited on glass substrates by dip-coating with an aqueous mixture of the CNCs and PVA, and the porous nanostructure was fixated by heat treatment. In a subsequent step, a portion of the scaffold’s hydroxyl surface groups was reacted with 2-(acryloxy)­ethyl (3-isocyanato-4-methylphenyl)­carbamate to permit the immobilization of thiolated fluorescein-substituted lysine, which was used as a first sensing motif, via nucleophile-based thiol–ene Michael addition. The resulting sensor films exhibit a nearly instantaneous and pronounced change of their fluorescence emission intensity in response to changes in pH. The approach was further extended to the detection of protease activity by immobilizing a Förster-type resonance energy transfer chromophore pair via a labile peptide sequence to the scaffold. This sensing scheme is based on the degradation of the protein linker in the presence of appropriate enzymes, which separate the chromophores and causes a turn-on of the originally quenched fluorescence. Using a standard benchtop spectrometer to monitor the increase in fluorescence intensity, trypsin was detected at a concentration of 250 μg/mL, i.e., in a concentration that is typical for abnormal proteolytic activity in wound fluids

SWAN-iCare project: Towards smart wearable and autonomous negative pressure device for wound monitoring and therapy

This paper describes the SWAN-iCare system and its potential impact in the area of wound management. The SWAN-iCare project aims at developing an integrated autonomous device for the monitoring and the personalized management of chronic wounds, mainly diabetic foot ulcers and venous leg ulcers. Most foot and leg ulcers are caused by diabetes and vascular problems respectively but a remarkable number of them are also due to the co-morbidity influence of many other diseases (e.g. kidney disease, congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, inflammatory bowel disease). More than 10 million people in Europe suffer from chronic wounds, a number which is expected to grow due to the aging of the population. The core of the project is the fabrication of a conceptually new wearable negative pressure device equipped with Information and Communication Technologies. Such device will allow users to: (a) accurately monitor many wound parameters via non-invasive integrated micro-sensors, (b) early identify infections and (c) remotely provide an innovative personalized two-line therapy via non-invasive micro-actuators to supplement the negative pressure wound therapy

SWAN-iCare: A smart wearable and autonomous negative pressure device for wound monitoring and therapy

The EU FP7 SWAN-iCare project aims at developing an integrated autonomous device for the monitoring and the personalized management of chronic wounds, mainly diabetic foot ulcers and venous leg ulcers. Most foot and leg ulcers are caused by diabetes and vascular problems respectively but a remarkable number of them are also due to the co-morbidity influence of many other diseases (e.g. kidney disease, congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, inflammatory bowel disease). More than 10 million people in Europe suffer from chronic wounds, a number which is expected to grow due to the aging of the population. The core of the project is the fabrication of a conceptually new wearable negative pressure device equipped with Information and Communication Technologies. Such device will allow users to: (a) accurately monitor many wound parameters via non-invasive integrated micro-sensors, (b) early identify infections and (c) remotely provide an innovative personalized two-line therapy via non-invasive micro-actuators to supplement the negative pressure wound therapy. This paper describes the main components of the SWAN-iCare system and its potential impact in the area of wound management