ERC FUNDED PROJECTS

This proposal will determine the technical and economic viability of scaling up ultra-thin film deposition processes for exfoliated single atomic layers. The PI has developed methods to produce exfoliated nanosheets from a range of layered materials such as graphene, transition metal chalcogenides and transition metal oxides. These 2D materials have immediate and far-reaching potential in several high-impact technological applications such as microelectronics, composites and energy harvesting and storage. 2DNanoCaps (ERC ref: 278516) has already demonstrated that lab-scale ultra-thin graphene-based supercapacitor electrodes for energy storage result in unusually high power performance and extremely long device life-time (100% capacitance retention for 5000 charge-discharge cycles at the high power scan rate of 10,000 mV/s). This performance is remarkable- an order of magnitude better than similar systems produced with more conventional methods, which cause materials restacking and aggregation. 2D nanosheets also offer the chance of exploring the unique possibility of manufacturing conductive, robust, thin, easily assembled electrode and solid electrolytes to realize highly flexible and all-solid-state supercapacitors. This opportunity is particularly relevant from the industrial point of view especially in relation to the flammability issues of the electrolytes used for commercial energy storage devices at present. In order to develop and exploit any of the applications listed above, it will be imperative to develop deposition methods and techniques capable of obtaining industrial-scale “sheet-like” coverage, where flake re-aggregation is avoided. We believe our combination of unique material properties and cost effective, robust and production-scalable process of ultra-thin deposition will enable us to compete for significant global market opportunities in the energy-storage space

148 021 €

Start date: 2014-01-01, End date: 2014-12-31

This proposal relates to the Proof of Concept stage investigation of exciting new findings in the ERC Advanced Grant ‘IMPUNEP’ project relating to the study and use of plasma-based processes. These findings offer significant advantages for the creation of complex 3D ceramic and ceramic-metal products at relatively low cost in an environmentally friendly manner. The potential applications of this new technology are very wide-ranging, and include the creation of new products as diverse as healthcare devices, MEMS and aero/automotive parts. Before we properly and fully identify the most promising applications, we need to investigate key aspects of the performance of materials created by this new method. This aspect wasn’t envisaged in the original proposal and involves research into the mechanical properties (especially the strength and elastic modulus) of these 3D parts and their response to deformation and dynamic displacements, as well as their physical (including electrical) properties. These components will be highly resistant to attack by aggressive (e.g. acidic) media as well as highly tolerant to both low (cryogenic) and high (combustion) temperatures. The expected applications opened up by this new method to produce ceramic and ceramic-metal components of complex shape are extensive. Hence the need for this Proof of Concept study, which will focus on validating the process for 3D ceramic-metal and ceramic parts and evaluating the mechanical, chemical, electrical and physical attributes of the 3D shapes, and will explore their potential applications in this pre-demonstration phase.

149 500 €

Start date: 2019-01-01, End date: 2020-03-31

Sensors are ubiquitous in the modern technological world. From the numerous sensors everyone carries within their smartphone, through the pervasive nature of sensors within human machines, to the oncoming explosion of the “Internet of Things” promising immense interconnected networks of sensor enabled systems in virtually every aspect of human life. Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) as silicon integrated circuits (ICs) are the base technology for nearly all such sensors. In 2017 the worldwide market for MEMS sensors was valued at 10.3€ Billion up from 8.5€ Billion in 2016. It is forecast to grow to 48.4€ Billion in 2024. The use of MEMS ICs provides large-scale manufacture of very cheap sensors. However, there are also many disadvantages. They do not easily provide for rapid and localised/distributed manufacture and implementation. Prototyping requires multi-user foundry platforms or the availability of local facilities, both of which can be relatively expensive, and time consuming, for short runs of prototypes. There are also limitations to what can be achieved. For example, it is very difficult and expensive to make 3D MEMS silicon structures, and there are many issues with liquid interfacing of such systems. 3D printing to make relatively small structures is not new, and various groups have recently reported functionalized polymers. This project will produce 3D printed transducers using 3D printing techniques from the SASATIN ERC project. The 3D printing arrangement does not rely on specific materials purchased from the printer manufacturer.

146 334 €

Start date: 2018-07-01, End date: 2019-12-31

The proliferation of mobile and ubiquitous computing technology is radically changing the ways in which we live our lives: from interacting with friends & family, to how we produce & consume services and engage in business. However, this pervasiveness of technologies, and their increasingly seamless integration and inter-operation, are blurring the boundaries between systems. This poses significant challenges for security engineers who aim to design systems that monitor and control the movement of digital or physical assets across those boundaries. My ERC Advanced Grant on Adaptive Security and Privacy (ASAP) is investigating ways in which security controls can change in response to changes in the context of operation of systems. However, since the monitoring of such elusive and changing boundaries is difficult, we have developed an adaptive security approach that monitors valuable assets that are managed by a system, and changes the means and extent by which those assets are protected in response to changes in assets and their values. This could radically change the way security is designed and implemented in a range of applications because it allows for a choice of appropriate protection, depending on particular requirements. In ASAP, we developed the modelling and computational capabilities of our approach, including some prototype tool fragments that demonstrate the approach in our lab. However, interest from our industrial collaborators, evidenced by direct funding of follow-on research, and the demonstration of our prototypes to senior management and potential customers, has motivated us to pursue a proof of concept (PoC) assessment of our work in a more systematic and targeted way. To this end, this ERC PoC will: 1) Develop a robust prototype demonstrator, instantiated in two application areas (access control & cloud computing); 2) Conduct a market analysis, aided by the demonstrator; 3) Subject to (2), develop a commercialisation strategy and plan

149 977 €

Start date: 2016-11-01, End date: 2018-04-30

The proposal refers to a patented adapter that can transform a commercial grade digital camera or the camera in a smart phone into a depth resolved imaging instrument. Several adapters will be assembled, making use of optical coherence tomography (OCT) technology protected by some other of PI’s patents. The activity takes advantage of recent progress in commercial grade cameras in terms of their modes of operation as well as in terms of parameters of their devices, such as sensitivity and speed of their photodetector arrays. Three versions of low cost functional OCT systems will be assembled as proof of concepts responding to needs of three possible markets that can be addressed by such an adapter: 1. En-face depth resolved, high transversal resolution microscope; 2. Fast cross sectioning imager. 3. Swept source volumetric analyser. Industrial input comes from a company involved in professional eye imaging systems, a company already selling adapters for smart phones to perform medical imaging, a company specialised in digital photographic equipment and a company efficient in prototyping photonics equipment and handling medical images. Clinical input is provided by two specialists in the two highest potential medical imaging markets of the adapter serving ophthalmology and ear, nose and throat speciality.

149 300 €

Start date: 2017-06-01, End date: 2018-11-30

Taking inspiration from natural carriers, such as viruses, a new technology has been developed in our laboratories part of an ongoing ERC starting grant project, Molecular Engineering of Virus-like Carriers (MEViC). We created synthetic viruses using polymers and thus safer materials. They are able of delivering high payload of specific drugs into cells with no detrimental effect. While testing for anticancer therapies, we identified a synthetic virus capable of targeting almost exclusively macrophages. We performed preliminary work showing that this can be successfully applied to deliver antibiotics to rid of intracellular pathogens. This has now open a completely new possibility whereas we can expand our technology for the treatment of several infections as well as to contribute to the ongoing efforts in tackling antibiotic resistance.

149 062 €

Start date: 2017-07-01, End date: 2018-12-31

This proposal draws on the extensive technical developments of Ad-G 323041 LOCATE to commercialise the know-how to build a low-cost aircraft with integrated aerial survey, filming and tracking technology capable of operating in low-infrastructure environments. These requirements are common to many applications and there is currently no affordable off-the-shelf solution. Our product is unique, providing a technologically-advanced integrated data collection system controlled by a single pilot. Modular technology enables buyers to select options relevant to their own operation and minimise start-up costs. With operating costs of approximately €30/hour, our product will make sophisticated aerial survey, filming and tracking accessible to researchers, NGOs, government and commercial operators, delivering impact through high-resolution, high-quality information at low cost for infrastructure survey (eg pipeline, rail/cabling and flood plain survey) and conservation (habitat change, wildlife density), land and habitat management (national parks, game reserves). This aerial survey platform fills a market niche between drones (limited by payload and range) and commercial operations (high cost, require infrastructure, lack of flexibility). We will: DOCUMENT the structural modifications and specification for fitting out the aircraft with the equipment payload specified; REFINE the on-board systems set-up and mission planning system; DOCUMENT the options for modular on-board technology; DEVELOP a costing model for building, equipping, fitting out and operating the aircraft and licensing of IP; UNDERTAKE market analysis and research and communicate with potential suppliers and users; PREPARE a comprehensive portfolio for uptake by potential commercial partners. The project team includes three aviation/industry members experienced in bringing innovative technologies to this market.

149 526 €

Start date: 2018-09-01, End date: 2020-02-29

Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form of arthritis, is a serious disease of the joints affecting nearly 10% of the population worldwide. The onset of OA has been associated with defects to articular cartilage that lines the bones of synovial joints. Current strategies to treat articular cartilage defects are ineffective and/or prohibitively expensive. The aim of ANCHOR is to develop and commercialise a new medicinal product for articular cartilage regeneration that recruits endogenous bone marrow derived stem cells into an extracellular matrix derived scaffold anchored to the subchondral bone by 3D printed polymeric supports. By recruiting endogenous cells into a supporting scaffold, ANCHOR will obviate the need for pre-seeding scaffolds with cells prior to implantation into cartilage defects, thereby dramatically reducing the cost and complexity of the repair procedure. It will also overcome the need for suturing of a scaffold into a cartilage defect, which is a very time consuming and technically challenging surgical procedure. Finally, the inherent chondro-inductivity of the cartilage ECM derived scaffolds developed by the applicant will maximise the potential for hyaline cartilage regeneration. The project will leverage the applicants extensive experience in ECM derived biomaterials and 3D printing to develop a new product with significant commercial potential. The impact of ANCHOR will be multi-faceted: it will transform how damaged joints are treated by orthopaedic surgeons, it will create economic value through the commercialization of IP, and most importantly it will improve patient experience and their long-term health and well-being.

149 945 €

Start date: 2018-01-01, End date: 2019-06-30

Over the past 2 years we have developed and patented a new actuator which is based on composite polymer/metal nanoparticles. Originally designed to create strong reversible colour changes, we found that the forces generated in the actuation exceed current microscale devices by nearly two orders of magnitude (weight for weight). We have thus protected and developed this possibility using my Advanced ERC project, LINASS, together with Cambridge Enterprise (CE, the commercialisation arm of the University of Cambridge). We have now reached the stage where we believe that this can become commercially interesting, have progressed to a better understanding of the fundamental processes, and have some idea of the applications that it might enable. The PoC project here is thus conceived to create demonstrators in two related domains: one offers new possibilities in advancing the established technology of microfluidic chips, while the other opens up a new space entirely, by making DNA nano-machines active and feasibly exploitable.

144 549 €

Start date: 2018-01-01, End date: 2019-06-30