New methods for developping scientific instruments for Physical Chemistry and laboratory equipment at

afordable costs for developping countries.

François Piuzzi

Chairman of the « Physics for Development » group (EuropeanPhysical Society)

Colloque Instrumenter et Innover en Chimie Physique pour Préparer l'Avenir 22-23 janvier 2015

Analysis of current situation

Most of developing countries suffer from a difficult access to scientific instruments: For teaching at high school level For practicals at university level For research For the measure of important parameters involved in the characterization of

society problems.

The development of “in silico” or internet experiments - and also of MOOCS - is very important – provided that when communication speed is good – but it can’t replace the essential act of measuring which supposedly implies to take into account : difficulties bound to environment, Calibration, reproducibility, Comparison with well defined standards Sensitivity Selectivity And above all the design and development of the instrument!!

ANY SOLUTIONS AT VIEW? Scientific instruments are still too expensive.

However, since about 10 years evolutions bound to the development:

of different innovative technologies LEDs, 3D printers, miniaturization of components, drones (for remote measuring) , laser pointers, paper nanostructures sensors, etc…

of creativity for coupling these technological developments and use these new methods for new applications (needs multidisciplinary approaches), this is also triggered by the participative /collaborative trends in science

of information exchange (if internet speed is OK) and sharing open source

of foundations; « Bill et Melinda Gates », Google, « Raspberry Pi », etc..

of collaborative platforms such as Ardhuino for electronics,

All this suggest to be reasonably optimistic, moreover the characterization of societal problems; environmental pollution, health, energy, requires the acquisition of numerous physical and chemical parameters directly in the field.

OPPORTUNITIES Instrumentation with affordable cost (not applicable to all domains of physics) should be

considered as an initiation leading at mid term to the use of “high level” instruments. The design should be collaborative and multidisciplinary – crowd sourcing - : this will be a serendipity accelerator;

Technological short cuts : wireless communications (enabling remote measurements), « dematerialisation » brought by digitalization, components miniaturization, images treatment software, information sharing through internet

Creativity:

paper folding microscope “foldscope” or

origami microscope » (Manu Prakask at Stanford).

Development of« Open source » tools either for software or hardware Open hardware licence (CERN)

« smartphones » as physics instruments for university practicals!! (Joël Chevrier paper in «Reflets de la Physique») using the numerous sensors included within smartphones.

Possibilities of collaborative funding : crowd funding : indiegogo, kisskissbangbang, or Ulule, (why not explore this way?) or through foundations

Recovery (recycling) of components from electronic scrap

TECHNOLOGY SHORTCUTS

Evolution of technologies has followed a more or less linear path in developed countries.

The use of technology shortcuts is a way to reduce the gap for countries with reduced funds and research capacities.

A recent example is the cell phone which dissemination was very rapid in Africa despite - or due to - the fact that most of the regions did not have an infrastructure of normal phone lines.

Its use enables advances for data transmission which consequently supports important applications in health, banking, etc…

3D printing is also a tool which use is rapidly spreading for manufacturing parts of instruments.

DESIGN OF AFFORDABLE COST INSTRUMENTS

International Year of Light

Source Dr. Mikkel Brydegaard

COST OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS AND COMPONENTS FOR MULTISPECTRAL IMAGING

DESIGN OF AFFORDABLE COST INSTRUMENTS

JOSUAH PEARCE SCIENCE VOL 337 1303

Most 3D files, are open access files (Open source). Many files may be found in the field of optics, such as lens holder, filter support, etc…which is very useful for setting up optics practical. Moreover this way of manufacturing is very useful for universities which don’t have workshops.

Josuah Pearce (Technological University of Michigan)

Open-Source Lab: How to Build Your Own Hardware and Reduce Research CostsElsevier 2014

« LOW COST » SPECTROMETER (VISIBLE)

Source: Eduardo Montoya Rossi, Óscar Baltuano Elías, Aurelio Arbildo López Rev SocRev Soc Quím Perú. 79 (1) 2013

Light multi detector : webcamdiffraction grating: small piece of DVD disc (after taking out the polycarbonate coating)Light transport: plastic optical fiberCost : < 100 €Performances : more or less those of a commercial instrument with a cost of about 1000 €

PROJECT OF « low cost » RAMAN SPECTROMETER

Excitation : laser pointer 405 nmLigth Detector : Canon photo camera

Improvement: cooling of detector with Peltier modules.

Eduardo Montoya Rossi, Óscar Baltuano Elías, Aurelio Arbildo López IPEN

LEDS FOR MULTISPECTRAL IMAGING

• Multispectral microscopy: application to by Malaria; Mikkel Bridegaard, AbomaMerdasa, (Univ. Lund Suède), Jérémie Zoué (Côte d’Ivoire)

detection of globules infected by Malaria from analysis of multispectral data.

LEDs FOR AFFORDABLE COST INSTRUMENTS

LEDs are ideal light excitation sources - wavelenghts available from IR to UV, very low power consumption, very small size, very low cost – which may be used to study multiple materials. One example is fluorimetry.

Enables to design of miniaturized instruments which may be portable.

Very low cost Fluorimetry

(Eduardo Montoya IPEN Pérou)

LED may also be used as light detector

in case of absence of a « true »detector

Characterization of vegetation stress :fluorescence of chlorophyl and flavonoïds of a wine leaf ( Start up Force-A):

LEDS FOR MEDICAL AND BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS

Measure of hemoglobin concentrationChromatography Paper as a Low-Cost Medium for Accurate

Spectrophotometric Assessment of Blood Hemoglobin Concentration Lab on a Chip, M. Bond, C. Elguea, J. Yan, M. Pawlowski, J. Williams, A.rWahed, M. Oden, T. Tkaczyk, R. Richards-KortumInstitute for Global Health Technologies, Rice University, Houston, Texas doi:10.1039/C3LC40908B

Designing specific instruments for regions with low resources:Solidity, simplicity , limitation of consumables, avoiding programmed obsolescence

High-resolution microendoscope withoptical fiber for in-situ cellular imaging

High-resolution Fiber-optic Microendoscopyfor in situ Cellular Imaging. Pierce, M., Yu, D., Richards-Kortum, R.J. Vis. Exp. (47), e2306, doi:10.3791/2306 (2011)

CONTRIBUTION OF 3D PRINTING

Raman Pi : project of the 3D printed structure of a Raman spectrometer :This enables a different design of the spectrometer and also to reduce cost of prototyping and manufacuringhttp://hackaday.io/project/1279-ramanpi-raman-spectrometer

Controlled by a Raspberry Pi Electronic : Ardhuino

COLLABORATIVE SCIENCE

Book edited by ICTP (Trieste) can befound (open access) athttp://sdu.ictp.it/3D/index.html

Simplify electronic utilization: contribution of Ardhuino platform25 € computer (Rapsberry Pi Foundation)Astronomers Without Borders (very low cost telescopes : 200 €)

Impression 3D

Astronomers Without Borders(very low cost telescopes, cost : 200 €)

AFFORDABLE COST AFM, STM, Different approaches :

Diversion (hacking) of technology: using the servoloop of CD ROM optical pick up which maintains the distance lens to disc constant

Using components which prize has went down

Using open source softwares

Jacques Cousty (CEA) has started a project of affordable cost STM and AFM for teaching and popularization

The project will be adapted for an AFM designed for the use of a tuning fork.

This enables to get rid of the important cost of the STM tips.

PAPER SENSORS

• Georges WHITESIDES Group at Harvard :

Sensors on paper

http://gmwgroup.harvard.edu/pubs/pdf/1086.pdf and Diagnostics for the Developing World: Microfluidic Paper-Based Analytical Devices Anal. Chem. 2010, 82, 3–10

Microfluidic on paper coupled to an electrochemical detection

Multicoating with avec microfluidic channelsobtained by irradiation of a photoresistTuberculose, HIV

TURBIDIMETRY MESUREMENTS

Measure of turbidimetry is important for water quality characterization.Parts cost 40 $, time of assembly 45 mn

THE CREATIVITY NECESITY Dr. Mikkel Brydegaard LUND University (Sweden)

Specialist of multispectral la detection, of Raman spectroscopy and of affordable cost scientific instruments and a very creative scientist.

Development of remote sensing (120 m) fluorescence (and Raman) : The experiment is dedicated to the characterization of different types of water.

FREQUENTLY USED ELEMENTS

• Electronics : Ardhuino platform

• Computers : Raspberry Py (25€) now Raspberry II

• Different open source softwares : Linux, GNU, etc…

• Photonic components : now high tech photonics components may be found at reasonable cost since they are used in : Lasers, detectors (such as webcam), etc…

• Computer sound board (may be used for digitization of physical signals)

• Mirrors for laser beams may be found in hard discs

• Even camera are now very high tech at reasonable cost and they could even have wireless communication and GPS capabilities thus they may be mounted on drones : detection of vegetation fluorescence (source Ismael Moya) cooperation with the International Center of Potato at Lima

SMARTPHONES UTILISATION

• This section is introducing the capabilities of smartphones even though it is not really « afordable or low cost » but who knows in future……

• Smartphones =

Sensors and et detectors ( 3D accelerometer, 3D gyroscope, 3D magnetometer light, sound)

Generators (light, sound)

Treatment (image and sound)

They are widespread and the cost will lower. • Will the smartphone be the ubiquitous instrument? (smartphone science

fiction?) Detection of Malaria by acoustic waves

(under development Glasgow)

Source : Aproppedia.org

PHYSICS WITH SMARTPHONESThe smartphone may also be transformed as a microscope, by adding a small

lens to the smartphone camera and with an attached 3D printed support.

The smartphone is also used as an instrument for mechanics practicals at university level

Point mechanics practicals with the iMecaProf

software (Joel Chevrier Joseph Fourier university

Grenoble) “Teaching Classical Mechanics using Smartphones”

Joel Chevrier, Laya Madani, Simon Ledenmat, Ahmad Bsiesyhttp://arxiv.org/abs/1211.0307

http://download.cnet.com/spectraSnapp/3000-20415_4-75823442.html

APS developped an app to analyse light

PHYSICS WITH SMARTPHONES

• Gamma Radiation detection with smartphones

• Detector : CMOS

• Not open source!! But cheap (around 4 €).

App name GAMMA pix :

GammaPix™ works with your smartphone's camera to detect

radioactivity. The app allows you to measure radioactivity levels

wherever you are and to be assured that your local environment.

is safe. The app can be used for the detection of radioactivity

in everyday life such as exposure on airplanes,

from medical patients or from contaminated

products.

linear response

http://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/141881/verifying-radiation-measurement-smart-phone-applications

OTHER SMARTPHONE APPLICATIONS

Cell-Phone-Based Platform for Biomedical Device Development and Education Applications

http://www.plosone.org/article/fetchObject.action?uri=info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0017150&representation=PDF

Wireless ECG:Revisiting QRS Detection Methodologies for Portable, Wearable, Battery-Operated, and Wireless ECG Systemshttp://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0084018

LABORATORY EQUIPMENT (1)

• Different equipments for chemistry or biology lab can be designed and manufactured by low cost methods:

•3D printed syringe: Accurate to a few microliters, approx. linear regulator customisable range and accuracySource : http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:255519

Lynch syringe : http://www.appropedia.org/Lynch_open_source_syringe_pump_modifications

• Showing full pump wired to the Arduino Uno and EasyDriver

LABORATORY EQUIPMENT (2)

Centrifuge made with open source rapid prototyping of OSAT

It works with industry standard

1.5ml/2ml Eppendorf/Microcentrifuge tubes

Name : Dremelfuge

.

Homemade 3D printed ellipsometer (project under development):http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:103972

CONTRIBUTION OF COLLABORATIVE SCIENCE AND D.I.Y.

• Many ideas may be found on internet to design « low cost » instruments either from collaborations or from DIY (« geeks» proposed), the problem is that these proposals should pass through the filter of scientists to determine its real potential. This may be organized by good willing people in our community, especially by asking to fresh retired scientist to do the job.

• Sites to scan :

Appropedia, Hackaday, Instructable, Thingiverse, Trendsinafrica, etc…

• Presence of Fab Labs in many places but mainly (in France) used by artists!

The creation of Fablab may be considered as a prerequisite for science development since it may provide solutions for building instruments.

• Local assembly: Creation of startup based on science and technology for developpement and manufacturing of instruments in developing countries, in addition of economical aspects it may give the possibility crate jobs for young scientists .

• Power of open source for information sharing and suggestions

The immerged part of the iceberg is the training

TRAININGS FOR BUILDING LAB EQUIPMENT(TRENDS IN AFRICA NGO)

3D PRINTER FROM SCRAP IN AFRICA

Kodjo Afate Gnikou (known as AFATE) from Togo built a 3D printer from electronic scrap (mainly from scanners and inkjet printers http://fr.ulule.com/wafate/ for 100$ cost.He also founded a Fablab the WOELABUlule.com/woelab in order to train people and to create jobs“ECOLOGIC and DEMOCRATIC!!!”

WHAT SOLUTIONS FOR BIGGER INSTRUMENTS?

It was shown here that solutions exists to produce small laboratory equipments at affordable cost or at low cost. But for the case of big equipments, things are diverse since this approach cannot be used. For example, for electronic microscopes one should rely on donation of used equipment, but this requires :to have trained people in the lab that could perform many of the maintenance procedures, transportation cost should be payed,spare parts should available.

A small French enterprise « 40-30 » is providing training (together with Grenoble University), spare parts and eventually donations of complete systems for electronic microscopy.

http://www.40-30.com/activites

CONCLUSION Organize trainings for these rather new methods to promote capacity building

Designing specific instruments (with modularity) for low resources regions :

Strong scientific and technologic knowledge is required

Follow up of des technology evolutions detection of possible future technology shortcuts.

Using components found in consumer appliances cost limitation

less problems to find spare parts

enable use recycling of components found in electronic scrap

But limited in time – opportunity window

Importance of developing bricks (modular approach) that may be assembled for different purposes

Local manufacturing implies easy repair, easy modification and adaption to local conditions.

But what will be the duration of this approach?

Integrated electronics vs modular electronics

This approach of designing scientific instruments is not adaptable to all domains (ex: RMN)

All we need is sharing ?