Lab-on-a-Robot Platform for In-Situ Planetary Compositional Analysis

This joint STTR research effort between HJ Science & Technology and the University of Texas at San Antonio seeks to establish a highly integrated mobile "lab-on-a-chip" platform – next generation "lab-on-a-robot" (LOAR) - capable of in-situ, high throughput, and simultaneous identification and characterization of universal classes of ions, molecules, and biomolecules for NASA in-situ planetary compositional analysis, and planetary and small body surface chemistry studies. The technology combines programmable microfluidic on-chip automation of sample processing, microchip capillary electrophoresis with contactless conductivity and optical detections, and integration with the next generation LOAR mobile platform in a miniaturized format. Such a mobile platform for the miniaturized instrument will lay the groundwork for future NASA in situ robotic missions. In Phase I, we have established the technical feasibility by demonstrating all key functionalities. This includes the separation and detection of selective ions that are relevant to the aqueous chemistry and reactivity of the Martian surface material with a novel microfab-less microfluidic device and the demonstration of the on-chip automated sample processing capability with a novel microvalve platform. The Phase II effort will include expanding and enhancing the performance capability of the novel microfab-less microfluidic device, integrating the on-chip automation technology to the microfluidic device and demonstrate the capability of the programmable on-chip automation of sample processing, and the design, construction, and test of a next generation LOAR prototype.

The proposed next generation "lab-on-a-robot" technology has great potential for NASA in-situ planetary and small body surface chemistry studies. In particular, the mobile platform in conjunction with the microchip capillary electrophoresis, contactless conductivity detection, and the on-chip automation of sample processing is ideally suited for simultaneous inorganic ion detection and analysis complementary to the "lab-on-a-chip" miniaturization of MECA's wet chemistry laboratory at JPL. The successful research effort will result in reduction in size, weight, power consumption, and cost of in-situ space probes. In addition, the proposed technology can also be used for on-chip biosensors, electrochemical sensors, on-chip sample separations, reactions, derivatizations, as well as for fluid positioning, mixing, metering, storage, and filtering systems.

The proposed "lab-on-a-robot" has broader commercial applications including monitoring environmental pollutants that are a potential concern for human health on Earth. The proposed technology is particularly relevant to in-situ analysis of environmental samples because currently the samples have to be physically acquired, transported, and then processed in the laboratory. Exposure of personnel to untested environments, sample degradation, contamination, and labor-intensive analytical protocols obviate the necessity for testing systems capable of performing on-site analysis and transmit the results autonomously. Compared with conventional laboratory based measurement techniques, the in-situ measurement capability of the portable and mobile platform offers important advantages including reduction in time and cost, real-time data for better and more timely decision making, and reduction in sample consumption.

This is a mature technology (TRL 8) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.