Page 16 - OIT Progress Report: 2025 Edition

built sensors, satellite communications, and
GPS-enabled surface drifters, the students built
a system capable of collecting high-resolution
geospatial and hydrodynamic data from oceanic
environments.
3D Printing for Cost-
Effective Interdigitated
Sensor Prototyping
A research initiative, with Dr. J.-C. Chiao and Dr.
Ali Beskok of the SMU Lyle School of Engineering,
aims to transform the way interdigitated
sensors are fabricated. The project is focused
on identifying cost-efficient, scalable, and
sustainable methods for producing sub-millimeter
disposable sensors using additive manufacturing
technologies.
The sensors being developed serve diverse
applications, including biosensing (e.g., glucose
and pathogen detection), environmental
monitoring (e.g., pH, humidity, and chemical
contaminants), and microfluidic platforms. The
printed sensors offer both high resolution and
mechanical simplicity, positioning them as ideal
13 Design for rigid and flexible, sub-mm interdigitated sensors. OIT PROGRESS REPORT 2024
candidates for disposable or field-deployable
solutions.
Streamlining Sensor
Evaluation: Development
of a Cost-Effective
Programmable Switch
Continuing the collaboration with Drs. Chiao and
Beskok, the IoT Research Laboratory contributed
to the design and implementation of a cost-
effective electronic programmable switch—a
solution aimed at accelerating sensor performance
testing and selection in research environments.
The goal of the project was to support researchers
and developers in evaluating multiple sensor
variants under identical experimental conditions.
In fields such as biomedical sensing, microfluidics,
and environmental monitoring, small differences
in sensor behavior can have a major impact
on accuracy, reliability, and suitability. This
programmable switch allows for automated,
consistent, and repeatable cycling between
sensors, significantly improving both the speed
and fidelity of the testing process.
Sensors being printing on-demand within the IoT Lab.