R&D100 Winners - Analytical/Test

Bridger Photonics’ airborne Gas Mapping LiDAR (GML) data service improves operational efficiency and helps reduce methane emissions for oil, gas, and other industries. It remotely detects, locates, and quantifies methane leaks and infrastructure status, making oil and gas companies safer and more efficient. GML leverages recent innovations in LiDAR and semiconductor optical amplifiers to sensitively image gas plumes, identify the source locations of leaks, and quantify the leak rates so that owners and operators can determine and prioritize repairs before even visiting the site. These capabilities can yield more than 300-fold efficiency improvement and reduced liability, compared to foot-patrol monitoring. GML’s innovative technology enables size, weight, and power compatible with light aircraft platforms, including drones, and is ideally positioned for future transition to photonic integrated circuits.

The CellSight system, developed by researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, provides a new analytical capability to solve the problem of elucidating the broad chemical makeup of a single cell. Society and industry rely extensively on our chemical understanding of cells to diagnose disease and to develop new and more effective therapeutics. Industries such as medicine, pharmaceuticals, and environmental monitoring need to detect, target, and chemically characterize cellular subpopulations out of the collective whole. The CellSight system provides an elegant solution to this problem by enabling rapid, untargeted, quantitative, in situ molecular characterization of single cells. This capability is crucial for investigating disease progression, identification, and treatment at the cellular level without requiring molecular labeling or other sample preparation procedures that can influence the native state of the cell. The CellSight system’s collective features distinguish it from any other single-cell analysis capability on the market, opening the door to numerous applications requiring single-cell mass spectrometric chemical analysis.

Developed by scientists at Los Alamos, Lawrence Livermore, and Sandia National Laboratories, the MC-15 Neutron Multiplicity Detector records neutrons to within 100-nanosecond resolution. The portable detector processes data in real time and can operate either from an easy-to-use onboard touchscreen or remotely from a computer connected to a local Ethernet. MC-15 is being used by highly trained teams at agencies such as the Departments of Energy and Justice to resolve radiological threats such as illegal nuclear development or nuclear material proliferation to nuclear terrorism attempts. MC-15 can also be used for research in nuclear data and radiation transport validation. Such research involves taking accurate measurements of subcritical assemblies that contain special nuclear material. The measurements contribute to the precision of nuclear constants, important to nuclear reactor design and modeling, and thus to their safe operation. With the MC-15, agencies can continue to ensure that the world remains a safer place.

RTsafe is a medical technology company that has developed a unique approach to quality assurance that significantly enhances the safety and accuracy of radiotherapy for cancer and other medical conditions. Using each patient’s CT scans and deploying highly accurate medical grade 3D-printing technology and the latest ‘3D-dosimetry,’ we can now create a unique patient phantom or ‘avatar’ that reacts to radiation in just the same way that human tissue does. So, each patient’s first treatment is performed on the RTsafe effigy. This ‘virtual patient’ can then be scanned and shows exactly where radiation has been applied. Treatment centers all over the world can now order patient avatars from RTsafe.

The F71 and F41 Teslameters with FP Series probes, developed by Lake Shore Cryotronics, offer a new level of precision, convenience, and dependability for users measuring magnetic fields in research or manufacturing environments. Featuring new TruZero technology which minimizes misalignment voltages, eliminating the need to re-zero a probe, and reducing flicker noise, meaning that readings are both more accurate and more precise. Never having to re-zero the Hall probes enhances user productivity, particularly in fast-paced magnet sorting or QC environments. And the 2Dex Hall sensor probes are more rugged, come in multiple package types to suit many different scenarios, and feature multiple performance improvements that make them superior to previous generation products.

Persistence Data Mining (PDM), developed by Ohio Soybean Council, is advanced precision soil nutrient mapping technology, a non-intrusive remote survey system for large tracks of open farmland. The technology provides farmers with data about soil — specifically, variations in soil nutrients — in real time. Using this information allows farmers to place fertilizer precisely and proactively, rather than blindly treating all acreage with the same quantities of the same product. In traditional soil analysis, the farmer collects a random soil sample every few acres, bags the samples, takes them to a laboratory, and waits for results. PDM uses hyperspectral soil analysis, which takes place on site in near real time. A proprietary algorithm engine combines millions of data points from the field and external sources to derive results. Results are uploaded to the cloud and available the same day.

The Thermo Scientific Orbitrap ID-X Tribrid Mass Spectrometer system is designed to overcome the bottlenecks associated with small molecule identification and characterization. It increases the accuracy, efficiency, and productivity of drug impurity and metabolite identification, extractable and leachable analysis, and other related applications. Use of this mass spectrometer (MS) system enables scientists across a range of fields to profile complex samples in a rapid and efficient manner. Scientists can also collect meaningful spectra that are easier to interpret by automating MSn acquisition methods to attain a higher number of compounds with distinguishable fragmentation patterns, which can then be further analyzed.

A major challenge faced by surgeons during thyroid surgery is ascertaining the location of the parathyroid glands. These glands are roughly the size of a grain of rice and cannot be easily distinguished from surrounding tissues. Accidental removal or damage of a healthy parathyroid gland occurs in roughly 15% of these surgeries and can lead to serious consequences for the patient such as swollen limbs, altered bone metabolism, and cataracts. Unfortunately, existing parathyroid localization techniques are intended for preoperative use only and are limited in their sensitivity. Vanderbilt University and Ai Biomed have collaborated to develop a handheld system called PTeye that enables safe, rapid localization of parathyroid tissue intraoperatively using optical imaging techniques.

The N-meter, developed by Idaho National Laboratory in collaboration with Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to serve as a vital national security technology, is an easyto-use, portable, and adaptable tool to ensure that electron neutron generators (ENGs) do not fail when their use is critical. The N-meter properly calibrates and tests ENGs, without regard to the origin of manufacture, so they can help protect the country from nuclear threats, improve natural resource exploration, create biomedical advances, and more. The N-meter also facilitates the expansion of ENG technology to new fields. By allowing technicians to ensure that ENGs are functioning properly, the N-meter confirms the accuracy of data and reduces the need for expensive retesting.

There are serious challenges that accompany the miniaturization of microfluidic devices, including diminished abilities to handle large pressures and flow resistances within channels. Oftentimes, researchers deploy large external modules to pump fluid through their tiny networks, effectively defeating the benefits of the smaller device. Sadly, the intended “lab-on-a-chip” is handcuffed to peripheral units, becoming a “chip-in-a-lab,” not at all useful for point-of-need applications. SPLASH, developed by researchers at Los Alamos Laboratory, solves this problem with its portable, affordable, disposable, highly configurable devices and electricity-free microfluidic operations. For the first time, complex sequences of fluidic experiments can be executed anywhere, anytime, as SPLASH effectively miniaturizes and automates liquid handling at a significantly lower cost than current methods. Deploying a suite of magnetically actuated micropumps and valves, SPLASH platforms wield the compact power necessary to overcome flow resistance without the bulk.

In the past, super resolution (SR) microscopy was attributed with many severe compromises for most Life Science researchers, such as low time resolution, a high photodamage and bleaching potential and limited 3D capabilities. With Elyra 7, Life Science researchers do not have to compromise anymore. Elyra 7 lifts structured illumination SR microscopy to the next level, as it now can be used for almost all imaging experiments with live and fixed specimen. In addition to its superior performance with structured illumination, Elyra 7 can be further extended with molecular localization precision, thereby spanning the full range of resolution needs in the life sciences. Elyra 7 breaks previous speed, 3D and photodamagelimitations of structured illumination SR and will allow researchers to make new discoveries in virtually all areas of the life sciences.

The IMPEDE Embolization Plug is a novel self-expanding polymer scaffold used for preventing blood flow to diseased vessels. Developed by researchers at Shape Memory Medical collaborating with Lawrence Livermore Laboratory and Texas A&M University, the IMPEDE device combines the advantages of existing embolization technologies while addressing each of their shortcomings. IMPEDE offers greater surface area than current technologies to more effectively initiate clotting in the target vessel and divert blood flow away from the at-risk region. The expansile polymer scaffold effectively fills the implant volume with a supportive tissue matrix decreasing the number of devices required and the cost of treatment. Preclinical studies indicate increased filling with IMPEDE also leads to improved long-term healing compared to competitive devices, decreasing the risk of retreatment. It provides easy delivery and minimal risk of migration while utilizing current treatment methodologies. More than 80 patients have been successfully treated worldwide for conditions such as pulmonary AVMs, tumor resection, and pelvic congestion syndrome with no reported adverse effects.

One of the major obstacles to elucidating the many roles of the human microbiome is creating an environment that maintains the diversity and functionality of the hundreds of species that inhabit the gut. Current in vivo and in vitro commercial approaches such as mouse models and bioreactors are costly and do not provide an accurate enough model of the human gut to enable the next generation of microbiome research. With its unique ability to mimic the precise oxygen and mucosal gradient within the human intestine within a single device, the Artificial Gut (ArtGut) platform, from researchers at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, provides a much better emulation of the gut microenvironment and achieves this at a fraction of the costs of current research models. ArtGut will enable fundamental microbiome research in clinics and public health laboratories with minimal microbiology resources. This research shows potential to change what we know about the human body and its gut’s relationship to health, development, mental illness, and disease.

The bioDART, from NCH Corporation and Chem Aqua, is a new technology that can be used to monitor the potential for biofouling in water handling systems. Its high sensitivity to biofouling conditions coupled with its unique reporting features enables the operator to identify and address potential problems before they can cause system failures. This patent pending technology provides a low cost, highly robust real time biofilm monitoring system that has been shown to save customers money by maximizing system efficiency, minimizing equipment downtime, and preventing equipment failures. The bioDART technology has been evaluated by university researchers and has been presented at several prestigious biofilm conferences. The bioDART gives a snapshot of the overall health of the water-handling system and has provided insights into universal biofilm populations that has not been possible with other biomonitoring technologies.

There is a continuing global trend of either removing potentially hazardous hydrogen cylinders from the lab or heavily restricting their use. However, hydrogenation reactions account for at least 5% of reactions in the chemical industry, so any restriction can severely hamper chemists. Current hydrogen generators are low pressure and designed mainly for combination with analytical equipment. The H-Genie, from ThalesNano Energy and the University of Szeged, is the only hydrogen generator designed specifically for use in chemistry laboratories. With a 1450-psi pressure capability, 10 times higher than competitors, coupled with intelligent functionality designed specifically for chemists, such as reaction monitoring, variable flow rate, batch and flow reactor capability, remote control operation, and reaction data export, no other hydrogen generator comes close in terms of capability and versatility to suit a chemists needs. Additionally, the ability of the H-Genie to generate hydrogen on demand from water eliminates cylinder storage and handling.

To operate modern marvels safely, engineers must have precise information about how materials perform under harsh conditions. Because of extreme heat and especially radiation, direct sensor readings have been impossible to obtain over extended periods and reactor temperature measurements have been only estimates. But, now the High-Temperature Irradiation-Resistant Thermocouples (HTIR-TC), from researchers at Idaho National Laboratory, can be attached to the fuel cladding or inserted directly into the fuel centerline to directly read fuel temperatures. HTIR-TC can operate reliably in the harshest conditions for months, even years. Such precise information provides confidence for nuclear reactor vendors that are working to validate Gen IV designs for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

Xenon International is an automated radioxenonmonitoring system that performs analysis of ultratrace quantities of xenon gas to detect evidence of nuclear explosions. The system collects, separates, purifies, and quantifies radioxenon isotopes in compliance with stringent national and international requirements, providing a state-of-the-art tool for international security monitoring. The system’s technology to collect and measure radioxenon isotopes revolutionizes how collection and detection is conducted in the field. It allows for high-sensitivity radioxenon measurements in a relatively small, lowpower instrument.

Euclid TechLabs delivers a brand-new technology of an ultrafast GHz electron beam buncher to convert conventional TEMs into powerful, time-resolved, imaging and spectroscopy tools. Applying the buncher to a TEM with any dc electron source, a GHz stroboscopic high-duty-cycle TEM can be realized. Unlike many recent UTEM developments that rely on a sophisticated and expensive pump-probe fs laser system, Euclid’s technology proposes a laserfree set-up. It reduces the price tag and operational cost of the whole UTEM system significantly, providing essential relief for electron microscopists who are not familiar with laser systems. Compatibility with conventional commercial TEM platforms is another advantage of the proposed technology.

MAVENCLAD, from EMD Serono, is a prescription medicine used to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). Because of its safety profile, MAVENCLAD is generally used in people who have tried another MS medicine that they could not tolerate or that has not worked well enough. It is the first and only FDA-approved treatment that provides two years of proven efficacy with a maximum of 20 days of oral treatment, during a two-year period. The heterogeneous nature of MS means there is no “onesize-fits-all” therapy for patients, and, despite a range of disease-modifying drugs (DMD) available, up to 43% of people do not use them. Many MS patients try multiple therapies before finding one that works for them, which is why it’s critical to have options. At least one-quarter of RRMS patients discontinue treatment within one year citing efficacy and tolerability. Mavenclad is believed to work by reducing the number of T and B cells so that there are fewer cells attacking nerves.

The Sandia-developed High-Performance Nanoantenna-Enabled- Detector (NED) offers a method to reduce image noise not by a few percent, but by factors of 10 to 100. Moreover, commercial long-wave infrared detectors only “see” around 25% of the thermal radiation that hits them. NEDs improves this to well over 50%. Thus, the signal-to-noise ratio of a camera based on these detectors would gain 2 to 3X on signal while simultaneously reducing noise by 10 to 100X, allowing much clearer pictures. In addition to this technology dramatically improving image quality, the architecture allows for entirely new detector concepts to be developed that aren’t possible with existing technology. As an example, with nanoantennae it’s possible to exquisitely control the spectral or polarization response at the pixel level, which can dramatically expand the amount of information acquired in the image.

Mass photometry, the unique and revolutionary technology implemented for the first time in Refeyn OneMP, from Rafeyn, allows the mass of single biomolecules to be measured directly in solution, thereby providing unprecedented analytical detail on every component. These measurements take seconds and require only microlitre volumes, overcoming the limitations of existing technologies, which are either slow, expensive, or have poor resolution. Mass photometry provides a unique opportunity to revolutionize how 30,000+ protein research labs worldwide analyze their samples. The Refeyn OneMP brings mass photometry into everyday laboratory life, permitting molecular measurements with unprecedented accuracy, sensitivity, speed, and simplicity. This transformative measurement technology holds significant implications for life sciences research, especially pertaining to biomolecular research, drug-discovery, therapeutics development, and healthcare in general.

The Portable Radiation Imaging, Spectroscopic and Mapping (PRISM) system from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, is a new type of imaging device for search, location, identification, and characterization of radioactive materials in support of countering nuclear threats and mitigating human exposure to radioactivity. This device provides 2D and 3D maps of radioactive nuclear materials by being freely carried through the environment by a human or robotic operator. As compared to existing radiation detection systems, PRISM provides a unique guidance modality to users for search applications, by providing direction towards suspected sources throughout the scanning process, leading to faster, more sensitive and effective searches.

Everyone needs clean, safe drinking water, and whether the water comes from underground wells or municipal sources, the LIBS subsurface monitoring tool can easily and cost-effectively analyze samples and provide valuable information about what elements are present. This product uses a miniaturized high-peak power laser to make sparks in water samples. The light from the sparks is then collected and analyzed for elements of interest. For those who live near oil and gas operations, monitoring their water supply is crucial to assuring that their water sources remain unaffected, but sampling before, during, and after operations is costly. The LIBS tool can be left underground and provide intermittent testing without the need to remove the sample each time and send to an offsite lab.

KMLabs’ QM Quantum Microscope advanced imaging and analysis solution is a commercially engineered system that comprises a high-powered laser amplifier source, EUV or VUV wavelength conversion, a high-efficiency beamline tailored to the user’s experiment, and imaging or other analysis end stations that can effectively cover the microscopy/spectroscopy landscape for nano-to-quantum materials. With this expansion of the spectrum in a commercialized, or engineered, platform, filling a gap in the correlative microscopy suite, there is a great potential to accelerate research of advanced materials by enabling a wider community of researchers to address these challenges and opportunities.

Pendar X10, from Pendar Technologies, brings several breakthrough capabilities to the market, including standoff measurement and the ability to safely and rapidly measure dark, sensitive, and highly fluorescent materials with a Raman sensor. This is a game changer for the spectroscopic chemical analysis market and is achieved by employing proprietary technological advances, packaged within tight size, weight, and power constraints using best engineering practices. The product will have life-saving benefits for first-responder and EOD personnel called to locations with unknown chemicals onsite. Currently, personnel are putting themselves at significant risk due to the need to closely approach or even sample potentially hazardous substances. Pendar X10 enables users to identify chemical threats at a distance allowing them to rapidly and safely make informed decisions when engaged in field operations. In the area of incoming inspection, Pendar X10 offers the breakthrough ability to rapidly inspect materials deep into containers without contact.

MailSecur delivers a breakthrough in low-cost terahertz imaging, providing the world’s first desktop-size 3-D scanner capable of noninvasively seeing inside objects in real-time. The system 300 times more sensitive than x-ray to detect small quantities of hazardous powders and liquids in the mail, significantly enhancing public safety. The inherent safety of mmWave imaging and the simplicity of the approach will position the technology to be as widespread as copiers and printers in nearly every office. The societal impact of the technology is significant, providing benefits to public health and safety, in addition to job creation for highly trained EOD veterans. These benefits would not be possible without the multidisciplinary collaboration between the INO, a Canadian government laboratory, and RaySecur, a US-based startup. The hardware is supported by the company’s artificial intelligence analytics platform and backed by on-demand (24/7) support, employing expert military explosive ordinance disposal (EOD) veterans to provide remote analysis of suspicious items as needed.

The Hitachi LISENDO 880 is a medical ultrasound diagnostic system for echocardiography that provides advanced diagnoses of heart failures. The advanced architecture of the system offers state of the art probe technology for 2D and 3D imaging, a high-performance OLED display, premium image optimization parameters such as eFocus and Pure Symphonic Architecture to capture the subtlest of changes and produce the highest quality “sound.” The LISENDO 880 was designed to provide maximum scanning comfort, along with state-ofthe-art technology to help complete exams more easily. The systems flexible positioning — including an adjustable panel height and a four-point articulating arm — support comfortable operation while the operation panel enables ergonomic function adjustment as a part of our intuitive user interface. The Smart Cardiac Measurements provide automated analysis to enhance examination efficiency.