The Technology
Water quality testing has long relied on periodic sampling and complex laboratory analysis. This approach is slow, expensive, and fails to provide the real-time data needed to ensure water safety and process efficiency. A critical gap exists for a sensor that can instantly and accurately identify specific contaminants on-site.
A new device that uses high-frequency acoustic waves to provide a real-time, digital “fingerprint” of water quality. By measuring the dynamic electrical properties at a solid-liquid interface, our technology can instantly detect and identify specific ionic contaminants with unparalleled sensitivity.
The fingernail-size sensor works by unleashing a MHz-level modulated surface acoustic wave (SAW) across crystal and glass surfaces in contact with a water sample. The SAW interacts with ions and salts present in water next to the solid surface, causing them to resonate and leak weak electrical field spectra that discloses their specific identity. The sensor allows for immediate identification and quantification of contaminants and useful electrolytes.
Applications:
• Industrial Process Control: Continuously monitor and control water quality in manufacturing, preventing costly product contamination and optimizing treatment processes.
• Environmental Monitoring: Deploy in rivers, lakes, and groundwater sources for real-time tracking of pollutants and environmental changes.
• Municipal Water Treatment: Instantly detect contamination events in treatment plants and distribution networks, ensuring public health and safety.
• Ultrapure Water Systems: Guarantee water purity for sensitive applications like semiconductor and pharmaceutical manufacturing, where even trace contaminants can cause catastrophic failures.
• Desalination Plants: Optimize the desalination process by providing real-time feedback on ion removal efficiency.
Advantages:
• Real-Time, Continuous Monitoring: Move from delayed, single-point lab results to a continuous, live feed of your water quality.
• Contaminant-Specific Detection: Go beyond generic measurements like conductivity. Our sensor identifies the specific ions in your water, such as heavy metals, salts, or other pollutants.
• Exceptional Sensitivity: Detect even trace amounts of contaminants, allowing for early intervention before they become a major problem.
• Reduced Operating Costs: Dramatically lower the reliance on expensive, labor-intensive laboratory sampling and analysis.
• Compact and Integrable: The core technology is small and robust, allowing for easy integration into existing water lines, remote monitoring stations, or portable testing devices.
Business Development Contacts
