"MSS Forum" Launched to Promote the Establishment of a De Facto Standard for Olfactory IoT Sensing Systems
2017年10月17日 - 02:08PM
JCN Newswire (英)
Seven organizations (NIMS, Kyocera, Osaka University, NEC,
Sumitomo Seika, Asahi Kasei and NanoWorld) will jointly establish
the MSS Forum on November 1. This forum will encourage participants
from the public to carry out experiments demonstrating the
performance of ultra-compact MSS (Membrane-type Surface stress
Sensor) devices(1). This initiative is designed to promote the
establishment of a de facto standard for olfactory IoT sensing
systems.
The MSS is a sensor device developed by an international joint
research group led by Genki Yoshikawa (International Center for
Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA), NIMS) in 2011. The receptor
layer coated on a membrane of an MSS absorbs gaseous molecules.
Since various organic and inorganic materials can be used as
receptor layer materials, the MSS is a highly versatile sensor
capable of detecting diverse odorous molecules. The
ultra-compact/sensitive MSS is potentially useful in various
fields, such as the food industry, environmental assessment,
medicine and safety assurance. After its development in 2011, the
MSS was subjected to basic research to enhance its odor sensing
capability. The MSS Alliance was launched in 2015 to facilitate
collaboration between the private sector, academia and national
research institutes on R&D related to olfactory IoT sensor
system constituent, thereby accelerating the practical application
of the MSS.
The MSS Alliance has made several notable achievements in R&D
related to key constituent technologies. These include the
development of sensor devices, receptor layer materials and precise
evaluation and data analysis systems. Asahi Kasei, which joined the
alliance in April 2017, has been developing receptor layer
materials capable of absorbing gaseous molecules and techniques to
coat receptor layer materials to an MSS. In addition, companies
invited by the alliance carried out more than 10 demonstration
experiment projects in which the MSS repeatedly proved to be both
highly sensitive to a variety of odors and capable of
discriminating between them.
In light of these joint research results, we plan to accelerate the
practical application of the MSS. We also plan to meet requests we
have received from interested groups in different fields for
first-hand experience in the use of MSS olfactory IoT sensing
systems. Thus, we will launch the MSS Forum on November 1 to
encourage interested companies to perform demonstration
experiments. The seven organizations that make up the MSS Alliance
will continue the R&D on constituent technologies while the
companies and research institutes in the MSS Forum promote
experiments to demonstrate the effectiveness of the MSS in various
environments. Through these efforts, we will pursue the
establishment of this sensor technology to achieve a de facto
standard.
Research accomplishments of the MSS Alliance
Since its launch in September 2015, the MSS Alliance has achieved
the following significant developments through exclusive
collaboration;
1) Developed and improved reliable sensor devices.
2) Developed new receptor layer materials that react to various
target gases.
3) Developed automatic measurement systems capable of accurately
evaluating multiple sensor chips under various conditions.
4) Developed electronic circuits capable of processing signals from
the sensor and developed control software.
5) Collected basic data on the responses of various receptor layer
materials to various target gases.
6) Developed a machine learning engine capable of accurately
differentiating data from the MSS and developed a cloud analysis
platform.
7) Based on these achievements, more than 10 experimental projects
were conducted demonstrating the MSS being highly sensitive to and
capable of discriminating between various types of odors.
In addition, NanoWorld, a founding member of the MSS Alliance,
started selling MSS chips for use in scientific research in April
2016, and the MSS is now used in other fields in advanced research
as well.
New framework
Since the launch in September 2015, many keen players in various
fields have contacted the MSS Alliance seeking first-hand
experience in the use of MSS olfactory IoT sensing system. Over the
last two years, joint research by the private sector, academia and
national research institutes has produced significant results, and
the partner companies and organizations invited by the alliance
carried out more than 10 demonstration experiment projects. These
activities validated the MSS's high degree of sensitivity and
ability to discriminate between various types of odors. As the next
step, a new system has been organized to enable participations from
public to perform demonstration experiments in their own
environments.
Name of the new framework: MSS Forum
Objective: With potential candidates from the public, to carry out
experiments to demonstrate the performance of the MSS olfactory IoT
sensing systems, thereby accelerating to achieve a de facto
standard.
Launch date: November 1, 2017
Office location: NIMS (Sengen, Tsukuba City, Japan)
Resources available to participants:(2)
- Participants can use standard measurement modules for the
MSS.
- Participants will be provided with technical instructions and a
data collection environment usable locally.
- A cloud artificial intelligence (AI) analysis platform is
available for participants to analyze collected data.
- Participants can carry out validation experiments using their own
organizations' measurement and analytical resources.
*Please note that participants are required to submit simple
reports on their validation experiment results.
Future plans
The MSS Forum will conduct validation experiments in various fields
to identify further issues for commercialization and to deepen and
accelerate R&D for solutions to these issues. In addition, it
aims to create components/modules and solutions that enable each of
the constituent technologies of the MSS olfactory IoT sensing
systems to be more easily utilized in product concepts of people in
industry and carry out basic technology R&D including the
provision of measurement, analysis and databases services.
Through these activities, technological R&D is further
accelerated to gain acceptance of the MSS olfactory IoT sensing
system ("Standard Scent and Odor Measurement Tool") as a de facto
standard tool for measurement of scent and odor, facilitating its
implementation for society.
Note: What is an MSS (Membrane-type Surface stress Sensor)?
Developed by NIMS group leader Genki Yoshikawa et al, the MSS is a
groundbreaking sensor device that is ultra-compact and sensitive to
odors. When molecules adsorb on the receptor layer of the MSS,
stress induced in the receptor layer causes electrical resistance
change in the detection parts, enabling target molecules to be
measured (see the diagrams below). Capable of detecting trace
amounts of various substances in the air or liquids with high
sensitivity, the MSS has potential for application in a wide range
of fields such as medicine, food industry, environmental assessment
and safety assurance.
Schematics of the MSS. When the receptor layer coated on the center
membrane of the sensor absorbs molecules, induced surface stress is
detected by piezoresistors embedded on four narrow beams around the
membrane.
(1) Demonstration experiments to be conducted to validate the
capability of the MSS to detect and discriminate between different
scents and odors in various fields, such as agriculture, the
livestock industry, self-healthcare, construction materials and
body odor. The experiments employ standard measurement modules for
the MSS developed by the MSS Alliance.
(2) We will examine whether participants possess appropriate
engineering resources.
About NEC Corporation
NEC Corporation is a leader in the integration of IT and network
technologies that benefit businesses and people around the world.
By providing a combination of products and solutions that cross
utilize the company's experience and global resources, NEC's
advanced technologies meet the complex and ever-changing needs of
its customers. NEC brings more than 100 years of expertise in
technological innovation to empower people, businesses and society.
For more information, visit NEC at http://www.nec.com.
Based on its Mid-term Management Plan 2015, the NEC Group globally
provides "Solutions for Society" that promote the safety, security,
efficiency and equality of society. Under the company's corporate
message of "Orchestrating a brighter world," NEC aims to help solve
a wide range of challenging issues and to create new social value
for the changing world of tomorrow. For more information, please
visit
http://www.nec.com/en/global/about/solutionsforsociety/message.html.
Source: NEC Corporation
Contact:
(Regarding the MSS Alliance)
Akira Yaegashi,
Manager, Collaboration Planning Office
External Collaboration Division
National Institute for Materials Science
Tel: +81-29-859-2600
Email: mss-forum@nims.go.jp
NEC
Seiichiro Toda
s-toda@cj.jp.nec.com
+81-3-3798-6511
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