The proposed system is designed to detect and quantify pre-biotic compounds (including amino acids and their polymers or polypeptides) and organic biomarkers including amino acid chirality and lipids that may be evidence of living processes. The innovation is designed to eventually be compatible with small spacecraft, rovers, or small penetrator platforms. As such, the proposed technology is naturally suited to such important NASA programs as in-situ planetary and small body surface chemistry studies.
The proposed microfluidic automation platform is naturally suited for environmental monitoring of a wide range of water-based organic and inorganic analytes on Earth. The autonomous measurement capability of the proposed technology offers a compelling advantage for environmental monitoring. Currently many samples have to be physically acquired, transported, and then processed in the laboratory. Compared with conventional laboratory based methods, the in-situ measurement platform offers important advantages including reduction in time and cost, and real-time data for better and more timely decision making. As such, we have identified the in-situ detection and monitoring of water-based analytes as the primary market for the commercialization of the proposed technology.
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