Difference between revisions of "Team:Madrid-OLM/Hardware"

Line 15: Line 15:
 
         }
 
         }
 
         .nomargin{
 
         .nomargin{
−
             margin-bottom: 0.3em !important;
+
             margin-bottom: 0.4em !important;
 
         }
 
         }
 
         .figureimage{
 
         .figureimage{
−
             margin-bottom: 0.0em
+
             margin-bottom: 0.5em
 
             }
 
             }
 
      
 
      
Line 24: Line 24:
 
     <head>
 
     <head>
 
         <meta charset="utf-8">
 
         <meta charset="utf-8">
−
         <title>The device</title>
+
         <title>Hardware</title>
 
         <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
 
         <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
−
         <meta name="description" content="Device Main page">
+
         <meta name="description" content="Hardware Award">
 
     </head>
 
     </head>
 
     <body class=" ">
 
     <body class=" ">
Line 34: Line 34:
 
             <section class="tittle-secc text-center switchable feature-large">
 
             <section class="tittle-secc text-center switchable feature-large">
 
                 <div class="container">
 
                 <div class="container">
−
                     <div class="row justify-content-around">
+
                     <div class="row justify-content-around boxed boxed--border bg--secondary boxed--lg box-shadow">
 
                         <div class="col-md-8 col-lg-8">
 
                         <div class="col-md-8 col-lg-8">
−
                             <h1 id="Teamtittle">The Device</h1>
+
                             <h1 id="Teamtittle">Hardware</h1>
−
                             <img class="figureimage" alt="Image1" src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/2/20/T--Madrid-OLM--Device--Lightrays.png" style="width:100%;"/>
+
                              
−
                             <p class="lead">Depending on the case, a piece of hardware could be only a tool or it could be a bit more than that. When we were brainstorming about how to face the issues related to traditional  Internet of Things (IoT) devices, we concluded that the role of our hardware should walk alongside the aptamer development and integration.</p>
+
                           
−
                             <p class="lead">The hardware is the structure that embraces the aptamer to take it to its maximum potentiality. Without an aptamer, our hardware can barely measure anything, and without the hardware, the aptamer is just another molecule.</p>
+
                             <p class="lead">We live in an era of global concerns. Hardware should not be isolated from other discussions, as manufacturing, sustainability, functionality and versatility. Although a hollow silver spiral with a fancy shape might work for eating a soup, a spoon could do the job in a more effective way. And this is how engineering becomes elegant.</p>
−
                             <p class="lead">The structure of the device has evolved in parallel to the role that the aptamer assumes in the hardware. A good example is how the first prototype has mutated into the final version. </p>
+
                             <p class="lead">We would love to run fast enough to chase this sort of elegance!</p>
−
                             <p class="lead">In our first prototype, the aptamer was just a filter, such that it only trapped the target protein. The role of the hardware was automating the extraction of the target protein from the DNA filter and quantifying the total concentration of the remaining protein at 280nm absorbance, once the pollutants were wiped away. </p>
+
                             <p class="lead nomargin">Hardware is not only about automating lab protocols, but creating a piece of technology that is able to make a relevant contribution to the society while representing the idea of development and sustainability.</p>
−
                             <p class="lead">But the concept of “aptamer as a filter” did not last long, as it was not sensitive enough to our purposes. And it evolved towards a different function. </p>
+
                             <p class="lead">We designed a plan such that we can contribute to develop the potentiality of biology into engineering. And it translates into a piece of hardware, the ambassador of what we have called “The internet of BioThings (IoBT)”.</p>
−
                             <p class="lead">The second prototype demanded a different role for the aptamer. In this new mission, the aptamer was expected to be part of the sensor. It had to adhere to an electrode and obstruct the electrons flow. So the microfluidic chip needed to be adapted to this demand. And thus, the structure of the hardware changed. .</p>
+
                             <p class="lead">Our device is an IoBT node, and it has the following features:</p>
−
                            <p class="lead">In this final version, the device is responsible for pumping a variety of solutions and samples through the chip towards the bound aptamer, collecting the resulting data from the electrode.</p>
+
                              
−
                            <img  class="figureimage" alt="Image1" src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/8/8a/T--Madrid-OLM--Device--000.png" style="width:30%;"/>
+
                           
−
                            <p class="lead">As we required an IoT device, it had to satisfy other functionalities. The key one is to upload the acquired data to a cloud server.</p>
+
                            <ol class="ourlist">
−
                            <p class="lead">We have also developed an IoT ecosystem that surrounds the device. We have implemented an iOS app to enable the clients to visualize data on a heat map. We have set up a firebase cloud server to gather the data from our sensors, and a PC application to control directly the final device and test our different protocols.</p>
+
                                <li><p class="lead">It might be manufactured and assembled in an affordable way by anyone worldwide, regardless its economic capacity. We do not want anyone to be out of our initiative. Our device can be built, anywhere, by anyone.</p></li>
−
                            <p class="lead">If you want to follow this process and check the final version of the device we encourage you to visit the next pages.</p>
+
                                <li><p class="lead">Micro-volumes of any targeted fluid can be pumped automatically into any microfluidic chip, thanks to our simple electromechanical system.</p></li>
−
                            <a class="btn btn--primary-2 btn--sm type--uppercase" href="2018.igem.org/Team:Madrid-OLM/FirstPrototype">
+
                                <li><p class="lead">A user-friendly control software and a PC interface allow the user to program personalized lab protocols. </p></li>
−
                                 <span class="btn__text">
+
                                <li><p class="lead">A versatile microfluidic workbench permits the user to play with variable sizes of microfluidic chips, enabling the modular disposition of microfluidic chips as well.Two modules might be placed in series or in parallel, as an electronic circuit.</p></li>
−
                                    First Prototype
+
                                <li><p class="lead">A custom-made WIFI module is programmed to upload to the cloud any data related to the experiment. Therefore we grant a real-time backup of any ongoing experiments. </p></li>
−
                                </span>
+
                                <li><p class="lead">A previously existing open source potentiostat software has been adapted and integrated into our device as the module responsible os the whole system of measurement.</p></li>
−
                             </a>
+
                                <li><p class="lead">Our aptasensor is based on an affordable electrode that has been integrated into our microfluidic chip. Although the electrode is manufactured in Spain, its cost is reduced compared to other proposals.</p></li>
−
                             <a class="btn btn--primary-2 btn--sm type--uppercase" href="https://2018.igem.org/Team:Madrid-OLM/FinalPrototype">
+
                                 <li><p class="lead">A mockup of an iOS app will show the potentiality of our hardware. We plan to simulate a cloud of nodes, where our device will serve as one of them. The difference is that our node will upload the data that will collect in the iGEM exhibition, while the others will be mere simulations. </p></li>
−
                                <span class="btn__text">
+
                             </ol>
−
                                    Final Prototype
+
                             <p class="lead">These features have been carefully integrated into a piece of hardware that we consider that follow our way of conceiving hardware. Hardware should answer many questions besides the technological ones.</p>
−
                                </span>
+
                            <p class="lead">Embracing global concerns, we would love to promote a conception of hardware that will be manifested under the global conception of humanity, development, and responsibility.</p>
−
                            </a>
+
 
                              
 
                              
 
                         </div>
 
                         </div>
Line 65: Line 64:
 
                 </div>
 
                 </div>
 
                 <!--end of container-->
 
                 <!--end of container-->
−
             </section>          
+
             </section>    
 
         </div>
 
         </div>
 
         <!--<div class="loader"></div>-->
 
         <!--<div class="loader"></div>-->

Revision as of 10:27, 17 October 2018

Madrid-OLM

Hardware

Hardware

We live in an era of global concerns. Hardware should not be isolated from other discussions, as manufacturing, sustainability, functionality and versatility. Although a hollow silver spiral with a fancy shape might work for eating a soup, a spoon could do the job in a more effective way. And this is how engineering becomes elegant.

We would love to run fast enough to chase this sort of elegance!

Hardware is not only about automating lab protocols, but creating a piece of technology that is able to make a relevant contribution to the society while representing the idea of development and sustainability.

We designed a plan such that we can contribute to develop the potentiality of biology into engineering. And it translates into a piece of hardware, the ambassador of what we have called “The internet of BioThings (IoBT)”.

Our device is an IoBT node, and it has the following features:

  1. It might be manufactured and assembled in an affordable way by anyone worldwide, regardless its economic capacity. We do not want anyone to be out of our initiative. Our device can be built, anywhere, by anyone.

  2. Micro-volumes of any targeted fluid can be pumped automatically into any microfluidic chip, thanks to our simple electromechanical system.

  3. A user-friendly control software and a PC interface allow the user to program personalized lab protocols.

  4. A versatile microfluidic workbench permits the user to play with variable sizes of microfluidic chips, enabling the modular disposition of microfluidic chips as well.Two modules might be placed in series or in parallel, as an electronic circuit.

  5. A custom-made WIFI module is programmed to upload to the cloud any data related to the experiment. Therefore we grant a real-time backup of any ongoing experiments.

  6. A previously existing open source potentiostat software has been adapted and integrated into our device as the module responsible os the whole system of measurement.

  7. Our aptasensor is based on an affordable electrode that has been integrated into our microfluidic chip. Although the electrode is manufactured in Spain, its cost is reduced compared to other proposals.

  8. A mockup of an iOS app will show the potentiality of our hardware. We plan to simulate a cloud of nodes, where our device will serve as one of them. The difference is that our node will upload the data that will collect in the iGEM exhibition, while the others will be mere simulations.

These features have been carefully integrated into a piece of hardware that we consider that follow our way of conceiving hardware. Hardware should answer many questions besides the technological ones.

Embracing global concerns, we would love to promote a conception of hardware that will be manifested under the global conception of humanity, development, and responsibility.