Duvas Technologies Ltd Innovative Multi-Species Sensor Development for Mobile/Portable Sensor Networks Dr John Hassard, Dr Steven Wilkins, Dr Mark Richards, Mr Graham Smith, Mr John Wai, Dr Wenjun Li, Dr. Annie Loo, Dr Andrea Laine, Dr Robin North, Dr Jeremy Cohen, Ms Janneke van Baalen, Ms Angharad Dare-Edwards, Mr Simon Fayer, Ms Fangce Guo, Mr Steven Wright, Dr Neil Hoose, and Prof John Polak
Developments in sensing, positioning, communications and computing technologies have enabled the development of wireless sensor network technologies and their application to real world problems. The technologies developed in the Mobile Environmental Sensing System Across a Grid Environment (MESSAGE) project have been deployed in a series of real world experiments to examine the relationships between transport and air pollution. Duvas Technologies Ltd. combines state-of-the-art gas analysis with new approaches to real world problems.
Our Background
Technology Transfer
Following 10 years of Research & Development, the Technology & IP were amalgamated into a spin-out of Imperial College London in April 2008 with the creation of Duvas Technologies Ltd. The company is owned jointly by the investment arm of MDT UK Limited www.mdtuk.com and Imperial Innovations www.imperialinnovations.co.uk
MESSAGE was a 3 year EPSRC/DfT £4.5m funded research project between Imperial College, Cambridge, Newcastle, Leeds and Southampton to study sensor networks of environmental sensors in urban environments. The MESSAGE Project successfully developed and demonstrated a set of techniques to dramatically increase the resolution with which the spatial and temporal distribution of urban air pollution can be measured. The sensors all integrate with a common architecture for data management, processing and display.
Portable unit for local ‘hotspot’ mapping and monitoring
Mobile Monitoring Station Mobile Sensing
City buses
Taxis, LA, public services
Vehicle‐mounted Mobile unit for area pollution mapping from data measured on route
Mobile Monitoring
Portable Monitoring
London simulated data: Modelled pollution hotspots and localised problem areas
Our Technology Based on technology from research-level atmospheric physics at Imperial College, and pipelined through technology transfer - Duvas has highly developed Differential UltraViolet Absorption Spectroscopy at its core. Ultraviolet fingerprinting allows you to see many key gases, which other technologies simply cannot in a single device.
Aim to provide real data: Localised real-time mapping, detailed measurement over time/space
The Need for Better Information We measure detailed real-time ppb variations along roads, street-by-street
Middle Middle of of Road Road
Curbside Curbside
How is Our Technology Different? Our skilled development team has focused on offering a highly competitive product, priced at similar level to existing devices, but representing a paradigm shift in technology and approach in a key market. Fixed Monitoring Site
Vehicle-based Monitoring
Concentration [ppb]
Concent ration [ppb]
Traffic Traffic Light Light Pulses
Moreover our unique sensor network capability development as part of the MESSAGE programme, a DfT & EPSRC £4m project, aimed at creating a radically novel infrastructure for measuring urban pollution, sets us apart.
We provide high fidelity data over time which reveal the sources; otherwise uncaptured allowing for Air Quality Strategy Management
Time
Time
Via co-location we match existing measurements and provide augmentation of monitoring sites; ‘joining the dots’ to complete the overall picture
We provide an intuitive streaming city-wide view via networking/mapping and visualisation; which has mainstream appeal
“Critical decisions on the environment have to be based on good and correct data” Mobile Monitoring Station Mobile Sensing
Mobile Monitoring
Portable Monitoring
The technology unique strengths include: Multiple species accurate real-time gas analysis within a single costeffective compact unit. Capable of being used on either a fixed, mobile, or portable basis. Relatively little calibration in comparison to other technologies. State-of-the-art networking infrastructure required for a mobile sensor network for mapping and impact analysis Conventional DOAS makes use of kilometre path lengths, whereas our core development and technology reduces the unit size to a practical device, with a patented methodology.
Business Vision Duvas Technologies seeks to become the de facto standard for multispecies mobile gas analysis, providing both the technology and networking infrastructure required for large area coverage (i.e. citywide). We have chosen the assessment of air pollution as our entry market, although recognise that the approach has a wide scope.
Company Highlights Joint Industry Project award with National Physical Laboratory Successful with two year contract for SE local authority in conjunction with expertise and support of Imperial College London Collaboration with a global company in the Defence sector, for various security and defence applications A major deal with UK’s leading distributor; further sales commitments for 2010 and 2011 and connected cross-European Distributor Group BBC Focus Innovation Awards, one of the most innovative ‘Best of British’ companies for 2009. Mainstream/market-specific coverage (BBC News, Sky News, TEC, Sensor News, etc.)
web: www.duvastechnologies.com email:
[email protected]
