MEMS-Based Sensor for Monitoring Cabin Air Quality on the ISS

In this Phase I project Aerodyne Microsystems Inc. (AMI) will investigate the feasibility of a miniaturized, low power, and inexpensive sensor to provide real-time measurements of particulate matter (PM). The MEMS-based instrument would be suitable for monitoring indoor aerosols in spacecraft cabins such as the ISS and would offer significant improvements over legacy solutions including reduced form factor and lower power consumption. The system utilizes a hybrid detection technique to monitor aerosol sizes from 50 um to 10 nm. For PM smaller than 2.5 um, the systems employs the thermophoretic deposition of particulates from a sample stream onto a thin-film bulk acoustic wave resonator (FBAR), and determines the mass deposited by measuring the frequency shift of an electronic oscillator. PM larger than 2.5 um (including lint and fibers) is optically measured with a novel detector configuration. The proposed technique is suitable for both spherical and non-spherical aerosols. The Phase I project will design, prototype and test key modules of the instrument, simulate and analytically model device behavior, develop interface and control electronics, and develop novel techniques for aerosol sampling and handling. AMI's proposed monitor is portable, offers an intuitive user interface, requires minimal maintenance, and can maintain calibration for extended periods of time. The platform requires no volatile working fluid, operates in low gravity, and offers the ability to log data for longer-term indoor air quality surveys.

The proposed aerosol sensor could be used to improve and study the air quality on the International Space Station. The technology could complement work done with the NASA Dust and Aerosol Measurement Feasibility Test (DAFT) and Smoke Aerosol Measurement Experiment (SAME-R). AMI's aerosol monitor could be used for novel, low-weight airborne sensor platforms in unmanned aircraft. Applications include atmospheric measurements of aerosols and collection of air / ash samples from volcanic plumes. Such measurements might complement Lidar and Doppler radar data taken with the Aerosol, Cloud, and Ecosystems (ACE) project. Because of the MEMS sensor's inert physical-chemical properties, the instrument functions over a wide-range of harsh temperature, power, and pressure conditions, can withstand high radiation and impact stress, and also operates without gravity. The sensor is suitable for deployment on planetary and lunar missions, and for operation in other crew exploration vehicles. It could be useful for balloon or surface based measurements of the atmosphere on Mars or Titan.

PM is one of the leading global risks for morbidity. There is an urgent need for inexpensive devices that monitor PM pollutants such as diesel exhaust, combustion sources, environmental tobacco smoke, power plant emissions, and nanoparticles. The proposed technology has important societal impact by enabling those seeking to improve air quality and reduce the health impacts of airborne PM in the environment, home, and workplace, and by reducing the cost of collecting airborne PM pollution data. The proposed real-time MEMS PM monitor provides a compelling value proposition by offering stand-alone operation and an order of magnitude reduction in size and power and lower cost in comparison to existing aerosol mass monitors. Markets for the instrument include indoor air quality monitoring, wearables, IoT, monitoring in aircraft and automobiles, industrial hygiene, and power plant monitoring. The 2015 worldwide addressable market for the technology is over $300 million. Several leading companies have written formal letters of interest in the technology.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 5) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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