2024-07-01 12:14:23
After the UK – to Panevėžys
M. Dzikars has been residing in Panevėžys for seven years. He selected this metropolis after troublesome doctoral research on the College of Leeds, throughout which he delved into molecular biology and bioelectronics.
As Mindaugas remembers, selecting Panevėžys after the UK was not a troublesome determination for him, as a result of Panevėžys is his hometown, the place he additionally graduated from college, so his recollections of Panevėžys had been very heat and nostalgic.
Panevėžys was additionally attracted by one more reason – the Mechatronics Heart, which intently cooperates with the Kaunas College of Know-how (KTU). Since M. Dzikars needed to proceed his work as a researcher after his research, the Mechatronics Heart was excellent for that – the person may apply the data acquired on the College of Leeds right here.
It’s attention-grabbing that after intensive scientific work, the person doesn’t wind up on some sofa, however within the water, as a result of his best pastime is diving. The resident of Panevėžys typically dives within the Paistris quarry, however he additionally had the chance to dive in Lake Platelia, the Baltic Sea and even the Crimson Sea.
The newest invention is air pollution measuring sensors
M. Dzikars, who doesn’t lack concepts and data, at the moment has a brand new ardour – with a staff of scientists from KTU, he’s creating sensors for measuring gaseous environmental air pollution.
“Sensors can detect the focus of elevated exhaled carbon dioxide. An excessive amount of carbon dioxide prevents focus, studying, pondering and assessing conditions shortly and successfully. These sensors can even detect different gases, corresponding to sulfur dioxide or numerous hydrocarbons,” – for the portal lrytas.lt stated M. Dzikars.
Sensors are meant for each firms and residents. The scientist sees a really big selection of makes use of for the sensors – in keeping with him, the sensors can be utilized in households, hospitals and different medical services, mining, fuel and oil industries and elsewhere.
It was additionally evaluated by the Ministry of Finance
In 2023, the corporate’s undertaking was awarded for improvements in enterprise within the competitors “European Sails” organized by the Ministry of Finance. M. Dzikars remembers completely how a lot pleasure such an evaluation introduced.
“For us, this emphasizes the intense help of the Lithuanian state for know-how and innovation in its nation. It additionally exhibits recognition within the growth of great science, engineering, and enterprise, even when this enterprise is kind of dangerous, however can deliver nice advantages each to Lithuania and the entire world.
This can be a nice award that has put us on the map. As quickly as we obtained off the stage and earlier than we may get again to our seats, we acquired a greeting from one of many buyers and a message that an e-mail was ready for us.
It is usually good to obtain help from colleagues, households and buddies. This helped us perceive our worth within the context of Lithuania, inspired us to search for further funding and talk with representatives of various Lithuanian organizations,” stated the researcher.
Many years of scientific work
Lithuanians needed to go an extended method to attain the present end result. Though the sensors themselves started to be developed in 2014, all the pieces began even earlier – with KTU professor Darius Viržonis, who has been working together with his analysis group for a number of many years on drums developed on the idea of silicon processing applied sciences, exactly referred to as capacitive micro-mounted ultrasonic transducers.
A set of those drums makes up the present air pollution measuring sensors. Drums coated with sure supplies take in particular gases from the surroundings.
At first, Prof. D.Viržonis and his group focused on the obvious use of those drums – the creation of ultrasound, however since 2014 he has began researching extra authentic methods of utility: fuel sensors and biosensors. M. Dzikars joined their growth.
Though the event of sensors started a decade in the past, they’re nonetheless being developed, improved and tailored for various makes use of. M. Dzikars emphasizes: a lot of the work consists solely of testing and analysis of outcomes.
“You design a brand new batch of units, you construct them, a few of them work, a few of them do not. People who work have their very own shortcomings, they should perceive the explanations, and in a brand new undertaking to appropriate design errors, enhance manufacturing processes…”, the researcher recalled.
Though initially 4 individuals labored on the fuel sensors, now there are already eleven of them. Nonetheless, in keeping with the interviewer, that isn’t sufficient – there are plans to develop.
Distinctive working precept
The precept of operation of the sensors developed by scientists is exclusive, not but commercialized both in Lithuania or elsewhere on the earth.
“It is a set of extraordinarily small, quickly vibrating drums. They, coated with sure supplies, take in particular gases from the surroundings. When the fuel is absorbed, the vibration frequency of the eardrums adjustments. By scanning the vibration traits of the drums, we will decide the quantities of particular gases within the surroundings.
This know-how as an concept has been demonstrated in earlier scientific articles, however to date, aside from our group, nobody on the earth has developed it both academically or much more so commercially, in direction of an relevant and marketable product”, M. Dzikars assured.
M. Dzikars hastens to clarify why such sensors are wanted and why you will need to monitor air pollution with them.
“Extreme focus of carbon dioxide within the surroundings impacts human pondering talents. Such sensors make it doable to search out out the effectiveness of indoor air flow and make sure the optimum talents of individuals each at house and in school or on the office.
As well as, numerous fuel leaks in households and factories, in new technology vehicles are harmful as a result of they’ll trigger explosions. Respiration these gases can also be not wholesome for the human physique. Throughout the combustion of a automotive engine, sure gases launched, corresponding to nitrogen and sulfur oxides, injury the lungs and trigger most cancers,” he stated.
The ultimate product will not be but obtainable
It is true, these interested by sensors must wait – the researchers do not have a ultimate product but. However earlier than that, not a lot.
“Additional analysis and preliminary manufacturing batches are required. Scientific and experimental analysis is pricey, as is manufacturing, which requires giant volumes of circulation,” stated M. Dzikars.
Nonetheless, the prototype of the product has already been examined in a college in Panevėžys. And the outcomes didn’t disappoint in any respect.
“We acquired wonderful suggestions from the varsity group, a a lot better understanding of lecturers and college students in regards to the significance of indoor air flow, the affect of environmental air pollution on your entire class and your entire college,” the interviewer was completely satisfied.
Due to this fact, there’s actually no scarcity of motivation for Lithuanian scientists. In line with M. Dzikar, not solely the curiosity of potential prospects leads ahead, but in addition the data that sensors will contribute to a greater surroundings and security in several industrial actions in Lithuania, Europe and the entire world.
The researchers hope that fuel monitoring will change into an on a regular basis, self-explanatory and cheap phenomenon.
The concept of founding an organization
The event of fuel sensors for environmental monitoring was funded by the European Union (EU). After making ready the undertaking, the researchers got down to develop, analysis and take a look at their product.
On the finish of the undertaking, the budding firm “Orius.tech” was based, which turns scientific data right into a commercialized innovation. The corporate, of which M. Dzikars turned the final director, already participates within the Accelerator program of the European Innovation Council and was invited to submit an in depth marketing strategy after the primary spherical of choice.
“Our firm remains to be in its early levels. We’re at the moment nonetheless enhancing the fuel sensors. Though we don’t have direct gross sales but, we’re ending the development of the second prototype of the system, we’re speaking to varied potential prospects and buyers, we’re making use of for various sources of funding,” stated the CEO of Orius.tech.
He added that the financed undertaking was essential not solely due to the institution of the corporate – throughout the undertaking Lithuanians labored not solely with fuel sensors, but in addition with biosensors able to detecting illnesses and detecting viruses.
“We imagine we’ve exceeded our expectations.” Throughout this undertaking, we KTU researchers labored on fuel sensors and biosensors. We’ve got demonstrated that we will use these tiny drums in each areas. We’ve got proven that the fuel might be detected at totally different concentrations, that the readings are dependable.
By way of biosensors, we’ve demonstrated that we will detect interactions between organic molecules, which can be utilized as a analysis and medical platform to detect totally different illnesses and detect viruses within the surroundings,” he defined.
As scientific tasks and works are costly, the researchers had been delighted to obtain EU funding.
“It’s protected to say that the EU laid the muse for the clarification and additional utility of this know-how,” he was completely satisfied.
We invite you to register your undertaking within the European Sail 2024 competitors – REGISTRATION.
2024-07-01 12:14:23