WP1 Coordination and management
The aim of this deliverable is to describe the early project management activities which enabled successful project kickoff in May of 2020. Furthermore, it documents the initial project communication activities mostly related to informing the public about the project starting and roles different organisations will have in it.
Due to the travel limitations induced by COVID-19 pandemic the kick-off meeting was held in a virtual environment through a teleconference. Its organization and approval by the EC were predated by extensive work on risk assessment by each consortium member and as a group, as well as creation of a robust risk mitigation plan for the initial stages of the project. Once the project started the news was spread on the consortium member’s websites, social networks and in the local media.
Despite the challenges imposed by the pandemic the project has successfully started in May 2020 as originally intended. The consortium overcame the initial obstacles through collaboration and dedication to the common vision. The kick-off meeting was held and communicated to the public.
On this link you can find all the press releases, articles and media content related to consortium members and the project up to now.
WP2 Co-development, safety, and experimental deployment
Due date: 31.07.2023.
Actual submission date: 28.07.2023.
Partner responsible: ECF
Reviewed by: ST
The purpose of this deliverable is to present the list of co-development guidelines that have been drafted, drawing upon the valuable experience gained throughout the project. These guidelines serve as a comprehensive framework for fostering collaboration and interdisciplinary cooperation between technical partners and practitioners working in hazardous conditions.
The co-development process started with the questionnaires almost immediately upon the project start, where we identified the most important physiological variables, as judged by the first responders, and we checked sensors already available from the technological partners, for the Alpha demonstrator setup. The process has been continued during the whole development of the SIXTHSENSE project by means of meetings before and after the field tests and questionnaires submitted to the practitioners. After the tests of the Beta demonstrator we focused our attention on the existing references on guidelines for the co-development process in the field of first responders.
A set of 12 guidelines for establishing a successful co-development in a multidisciplinary environment have been drafted:Defining roles and responsibilities
- Engaging stakeholders early
- Clear definition of goals
- Establishing a collaborative environment
- Adopt a user-centric design approach
- Consider Usability and Ergonomics
- Consider Safety and Mistakes impact
- Collect end-users’ feedbacks and integrate them with technical possibilities
- Iterating and Prototyping
- Documenting the co-development Process
- Ethical Considerations
- Sharing Knowledge and Results
By leveraging the knowledge and expertise accumulated during our project, we aim to facilitate the successful implementation of co-development processes, ensuring the development of innovative solutions that address the unique challenges faced by practitioners in hazardous environments.
WP3 Non-invasive biosensors
Due date: 31.10.2021.
Actual submission date: 31.01.2021.
Partner responsible: TECSR
Reviewed by: TEC
This deliverable aims to report the first prototypes of sensing electrodes with integrated Organic Electrochemical Transistors (OECTs) and Interdigitated Microelectrodes (IMEs). It describes the key aspects of OECTs development: materials, geometries and functionalization of the channel.
Scheme of typical structure of an OECT.
This document shows the information in ALPHA stage for the development of prototypes of sensing electrodes with integrated OECT amplifiers and IME sensors. It will provide the technological capacity for the initial requirements of biomarkers detection such as cortisol and Na+ cations.
Prototypes of sensing electrodes with integrated OECT amplifiers developed by TECSR.
The alpha prototype OECTs and IMEs has been produced and delivered to the partners responsible for functionalization.
Due date: 31.01.2023.
Actual submission date: 31.01.2023.
Partner responsible: TECSR
Reviewed by: TEC
The deliverable aims to report the second iteration of prototypes of sensing electrodes with integrated Organic Electrochemical Transistors (OECTs). It describes the key aspects of OECTs development: materials and geometries.
The document shows the information regarding the various designs and materials used for the ALPHA prototypes of sensing electrodes with integrated OECT amplifiers and explains the reasoning and differences introduced with the revised version of the BETA sensors that resulted in a set of 40 different versions that will be produced and tested in the continuation of the project. The new set of sensors will provide the basis for benchmarking the various configurations and selecting the most appropriate configuration for biomarkers detection such as cortisol and Na+ cations.
Technical drawing of 40 different BETA OECTs in which each layer/material is denoted with a corresponding colour: Ag – light grey, Ag/AgCl – dark grey, C – black, PEDOT:PSS – blue, insulation – green
Due date: 30.04.2023.
Actual submission date: 02.05.2023.
Partner responsible: MDS
Reviewed by: TEC
The main aim of this deliverable is to report the protocol of upscaling fabrication of all sensors developed along the execution of the project, preferable all integrated in one unique device. The key aspects of fabrication protocol are described as well as materials used for the fabrication of different devices. In addition, the costs of production are evaluated.
Final sensor platform integrating 6 sensors and 4 iontophoretic extraction systems
The final device integrates three different chemical sensors (cortisol, lactate and Na+), two of them with sensing phases based on biological recognition elements. The fabrication of the final device consists of two different manufacturing procedures. The first one is carried out using thick film technology. In this case the electrodes with different designs, that have been optimized during the project, are screen-printed on PET substrates using silver, carbon and PEDOT:PSS inks. After that, the second procedure is aimed to fabricate the different sensing phases. In this case the fabrication is carried out using inkjet printing technology. Finally, the cost of production is about 25 euros/device for high scale production, being this cost the minimum value that currently we can achieve due to the high cost of anti-cortisol antibodies.
WP4 Minimally invasive biosensors
Due date of deliverable: 31/10/2022
Actual submission date: 31/10/2022
Partner responsible for
this deliverable: 14 – BFS
Reviewed by: 3 – TUC
Aim
This deliverable summarizes the design, working principle, preliminary investigations, fabrication and characterization of a pumping mechanism which allows for sucking in a liquid into the sensor channel.
Approach
In contrast to the technology envisioned in the proposal phase, a novel concept for a suction pump was developed based on an ultrathin electroosmotic pump. This allows for a very flat and tiny device. The electroosmotic pump is based on a gold-coated track-etched membrane. For integration into the sensor device, the membrane is contacted by a ring electrode on the sensor substrate and an electrode-inlay on the opposite side, which is contacted back to the sensor substrate, so that only one connector is required.
Results
Final setup. a) Front and back view. b) Size comparison. c) Channel filled with blue water
The assembled sensor-pump setups were finally pre-filled with water and then pumped based on the results of the preliminary investigations.