Cross-Pollination of Electronics and Mathematics: Unlocking New Horizons in Ambient Gas Sensing
As environmental concerns and regulatory requirements intensify, traditional MEMS and other gas sensors face significant challenges to meet many new requirements of air quality monitoring. We explore innovative integration of electronics and mathematics to advance next-generation gas sensing technologies that utilize metal oxides, electrolytes, and photonic sensing materials.
Conventional sensors typically generate single output signals, such as resistance, electrical current, or light intensity which is an effective approach to detect high pollution levels but stumble in detection of low levels in modern applications. “Air sensors have inherent limitations…, which will require technological advances,” as recently stated by EPA.
We will discuss how the incorporation of new excitation techniques in metal oxide, electrochemical, and photonic sensors, can boost accuracy in detection of gases of interest, multi-gas resolution, improve dynamic range of measurements and stability, and reduce noise. These advancements are achieved without making fundamental changes to the current hardware, ensuring seamless compatibility with existing manufacturing. By applying our excitation methods, we also simplify edge data analytics.
This strategic approach not only fosters the development of robust multi-gas sensors but also contributes to more effective air quality management and environmental protection initiatives.
BIOGRAPHY
Radislav Potyrailo is a Senior Principal Scientist at GE Vernova Research, Niskayuna, NY. He initiates and directs programs on design of physical transducers, sensing materials, and data analytics for diverse applications of sensor systems. His passion is to bring innovative sensing systems from laboratory feasibility studies to field validations and commercialization. Examples include optical multi-parameter chemical sensor for GE Water, gas sensors for GE Oil & Gas, and GE Ventures start-up company. He is the Chair of the Device Working Group of the MEMS and Sensors Industry Group and the North America Regional Chair of International Society for Olfaction and Chemical Sensing. Dr. Potyrailo summarized most of his innovations in 160+ granted US Patents. He is SPIE Fellow (2011) and IEEE Fellow (2023) covering the whole electromagnetic spectrum of his sensors. He is Distinguished Lecturer of the IEEE Sensors Council for 2024-2026.