Superb-CSIS 2012 Participants
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Rafael Cardona
Project Title: Flexible IR Sensors Based on New Polymer/CNT Composites |
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| Abstract: Flexible IR sensors have the advantages of low cost, lightweight and conformable to non planar surfaces making them attractive for various wearable electronics for health (monitoring of vascular circulation), safety and reliability (plant defects, circuit board characterization), night vision applications. Current flexible IR sensors are most limited by their relatively slow response time (<1 HZ)). In this investigation, new types of polymer/CNT composites will be explored to resolve this problem: the incorporation of CNT should enhance IR photon absorption and improve thermal dissipation which will increase the sensor speed to over 100 HZ. Arrays of those sensing pixels will be fabricated for large scale real time IR imaging. | ||
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Graduate Student Mentor: Zhibin Yu | ||
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Aida Colòn-Berrios
Project Title: Fabrication of Gravure Printed Organic Solar Cells |
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| Abstract: Throughout the years, researchers have been trying to optimize solar cells in which we obtain electric power from the light emitted by the sun. There is a trade-off between efficiency and cost, which depends mainly on the materials used in its construction and their production process. Printed polymer cells have been around for a while and are developing quickly, achieving good efficiencies. However, they are being limited by the materials being used, which in turn limit the production process. Indium tin oxide (ITO) is an inorganic material which is widely used as a transparent electrode in today's polymer solar cells. The problem with this material is that it contains Indium, a scarce material which is also brittle and expensive to manufacture. On the other hand, organic materials are very flexible, less expensive and permit the use of Roll-to-Roll (R2R) printing which speeds up the production process. Networks of carbon nanotubes can be highly conductive and transparent, as well as flexible and printable, and we will substitute them for ITO in our solar cells. The main focus of this project will be to develop a functional gravure printed Organic Solar Cell, first by making each layer of the solar cell and then putting it together to test it. | ||
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Graduate Student Mentor: Aminy Ostfeld | ||
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Michael Hernandez
Project Title: Glucose Bio-Fuel Cell - The Power Supply for Future Implants |
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| Abstract: It is easy to envision that in the future, humans will use miniature implanted devices that can communicate with personal devices such as smart-phones and/or ambient "computers" (i.e. the descendants of our current laptops and note pads) to interact with their environment. In order to power such implanted devices (many of which may be on the order of sub-millimeter in dimension), a conventional solution based on batteries is impractical due to the limitation in implantation volume and more importantly lifetime requirements. Therefore, an increasing number of researchers have been looking for an efficient method to generate power based purely on the permanent contact of the devices with the user.s body and/or biological sub-systems. However, to date, none of these works have shown a full system with enough power to make it capable of performing an interesting electronic function. This work will be the initial part of the big project to study, repeat and improve the achievable power density of the current state-of-the-art fuel cell design. It includes the literature study, building an automatic fuel cell test structure, experiments with basic fuel cell, design and iterations on the design of electrodes and fuel cells. | ||
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Graduate Student Mentor: Hanh-Phuc Le | ||
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Christopher Laguna
Project Title: Information Synthesis in WordSeer: The Effectiveness of Canvas as an Interactive Medium for Sensemaking |
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| Abstract: Sense-making is the process of forming a broad understanding of a large pool of information. While there are few popular computer applications that support sense-making, there exists potential for the creation of these applications to the extent that computers are able to facilitate interaction between humans and information. Wordseer is a project that supports search queries and information synthesis, the two iterative processes of sense-making. Wordseer supports information synthesis through Canvas, a tool which provides a visual representation of search results and allows the user to group results, change color and shape of results, and annotate results. We examine the usefulness of Canvas to researches undergoing sense-making. | ||
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Katia Nepomnyashchaya
Project Title: Algorithms and Graph Symmetries for Pattern Formation in Cell-to-Cell Communication |
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| Abstract: In gene expression, spatial patterning has a crucial role in multicellular developmental processes. Previous results in pattern formation rely mostly on reaction-diffusion systems. However, in multicellular mechanisms, there are several patterning processes that occur by intercellular signaling. An example of such mechanisms is the Notch pathway, where neighboring cells exchange information by the interaction between Notch receptors on one side and Delta ligands on the other. Cell-to-cell communication mechanisms can be described by a large number of identical systems whose interconnection structure is defined by an undirected graph. In this project, the symmetric properties of such interconnection graphs will be addressed by the study and analysis of the automorphism groups and its subgroups. The development of efficient algorithms will allow the easy identification and verification of specific patterning structures in such multicellular systems. | ||
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Graduate Student Mentor: Ana Ferreira | ||
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Peter Njenga
Project Title: Flexible & Large Area Electronics - Organic Thin Film Transistors |
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| Abstract: Large area electronics have traditionally found applications in area-intensive electronics such as displays. However, in the recent past, they have found increased applications in medical, wireless and flexible systems. A challenge that is frequently encountered in most applications of large area electronics is how to add high functionality while minimizing fabrication costs. One approach to overcoming this challenge lies in the use of organic materials. One of the main benefits associated with the use of organic semiconducting materials is that they are relatively inexpensive, flexible and have lower fabrication costs. Our research involves finding suitable materials, i.e. materials with high carrier mobility, for organic thin film transistors (TFTs). TFTs are used extensively in large area electronics, to drive displays, for instance. We will be focusing on developing economical fabrication techniques as well as augmenting their performance. | ||
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Graduate Student Mentors: Joseph Corea | ||
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Rebecca Park
Project Title: Emitter Doping and MoO₃ Transparent Top Contact Formation for Polycrystalline III-V Solar Cells |
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| Abstract: The goal of this project is to develop a generic process for fabrication of a high efficiency, low cost polycrystalline III-V solar cell. | ||
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Graduate Student Mentor: Maxwell Zhang and Rehan Kapadia | ||
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Edgardo Vazquez-Rodriguez
Project Title: Biological Reaction Network Modeling and Simulation with Stochastic Differential Equations |
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| Abstract: The field of synthetic biology is progressing as biologists and theorists collaborate to engineer new systems that either mimic phenomenon found in nature or demonstrate other useful behaviors. Biochemical reactions are inherently stochastic and this necessitates the use of Monte Carlo simulations before any effort to proceed with experimental implementations. However, there often is a large disconnect between these Monte Carlo simulations and the deterministic models on which the designs and analysis are usually based. In this project, we will examine the spectrum of modeling and simulation techniques between ordinary differential equations and Monte Carlo simulations, in particular focusing on stochastic differential equations (SDEs) using the Langevin approximation. The application goal will be Quenched Oscillator networks, a new class of patterning system in gene expression. | ||
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Graduate Student Mentors: Ana Ferreira and Justin Hsia | ||