The Next Byte Podcast · 18 May 2021 · 18m
Hosts Daniel and Forbode discuss three distinct engineering innovations: an artificial electronic nose from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) that uses quartz crystal microbalance sensors and machine learning to distinguish mint types for pharmaceutical applications; a wastewater-to-energy system by Professor Zhen He at Washington University in St. Louis that generates electricity and filters water using microbial fuel cells with carbon cloth anodes; and a satellite-based index insurance model from ETH Zurich that uses real-time soil moisture data to automatically payout farmers during droughts.
Where this conversation describes AI being used to build or deliver a product. Part of the AI in practice tracker.
Engineering & simulation
An ML algorithm processes resonance data from quartz crystal sensors to distinguish between different types of mint for pharmaceutical quality control.
“the way they're able to identify like what sent, did we just detect is by doing a lot of tests, gathering that data and feeding it into an ML algorithm. So machine learning algorithm that knows how to differentiate between, you know, uh, spermint and peppermint.”
Speaker 1 · Hear it at 2:44
makers and hobbyists
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Dr. Kathleen Vaeth, Vice President of Engineering at MicroGen Systems, explains how their MEMS-based vibrational energy harvesters convert ambient vibration into power using aluminum nitride piezoelectric materials. She details the device's operation as a tuned cantilever that generates 50-200 microwatts, enabling wireless sensors for industrial monitoring and building management without battery maintenance. The discussion covers specific applications like powering TI eZ430 transmitters and Linear Technology sensors, as well as future roadmap items including impulse-mode harvesting for wearables and tire pressure monitoring systems.
Shely Aronov, Founder and CEO of InnerPlant, explains how her company uses genetic engineering to turn crops like soybeans into living sensors that signal stress (such as fungal pressure or nitrogen deficiency) via fluorescence. She details the technology's journey from leaf-clip prototypes to a remote sensing model using satellite imagery and hyperspectral cameras to detect these signals from space. Aronov discusses the business strategy of embedding this technology into seeds sold by partners rather than selling directly to farmers, and highlights the critical role of precision application hardware like John Deere's See & Spray in closing the loop on chemical usage.
Ali Rohafza, CEO and co-founder of Altered Carbon, explains how his company developed digital vapor detection sensors that replicate the human nose to identify and fingerprint smells. He details the technology's origin at the Bristol Robotics Laboratory, the use of graphene-based sensors for low-power operation, and the challenge of creating standardized testing methods for mass production. Rohafza discusses key applications in food spoilage detection, industrial safety, and potential future uses in agriculture and medical diagnostics.
Hosts Elliot Williams and Dan Maloney review a wide array of hardware hacks, including V Hunter Adams' lecture on embedded systems at Cornell, Color Vac's internal CRT surgery, and the Luminophone musical instrument. They also discuss Arrow's backyard observatory, Kalesh Sitaram's Stamp modular breakout boards, and Grumman's electromagnetic forming process. The episode concludes with coverage of stream gauges and fuel cell technology.
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