This project supports collaborative research by Dr. Magdy Bayoumi, Center for Advanced Computer Studies, University of Louisiana, Lafayette, Louisiana. The Egyptian collaborator is Dr. Amal Zaki at the Electronics Research Institute, Cairo, Egypt. They plan to study the design of smart sensors and their implementation in wireless sensors network. The rapid growth of Microsystems technology which involves sensors and actuators has been phenomenal. Sensor technology has enabled a wide variety of current and potential applications including wireless communications, biomedical applications, micro-robotics, remote sensing and distributed sensor networks for environmental applications. The next-generation of smart sensors need to be fully-integrated, low cost, reliable, and fully costumed with IC using microsystem and nanosystem technologies. Recent advances in Microsystems technology, CMOS, and RF front-end can be used to develop these smart sensors and combine them with computing elements, power generation and ultra low power wireless communication equipment in order to develop autonomous wireless sensor platform suitable for various applications. MEMS/NEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems / Nano-Electro-Mechanical Systems) technology promises to deliver many sensors applications, which are miniaturized, portable systems with low mass, size and power consumption, without significant loss of capability. The PIs will first focus on the design of the smart sensor using MEMS technology. Then they will investigate the implementation of this sensor in a wireless network by additional signal processing circuitry that can be implemented in numerous applications. Intellectual Merit: The proposed implementation and integrated smart sensors in wireless sensors network will benefit many applications in both countries. The integration of the sensors and the signal processing circuitry on the same chip will result in small sensitive smart sensors. The devices will be used to implement chemical or biological sensing features. The work is novel and will require extensive design and simulation to produce highly selective smart sensors. The Egyptian team will be responsible for design and simulation of parts of the sensors and interface circuits. The US team will help in the fabrication and processing of the sensor device and the design of the signal processing circuitry. Broader Impacts: Planned visits between the two teams to interchange the information are scheduled. The collaboration will include transfer of the innovative technologies, which involve design, modeling, and fabrication of smart sensors. The sensors will be implemented and characterized in the US laboratories. This will help both of U.S. and Egypt teams in establishing the new technology of microsystem in their institutes. Several of the advanced sensor/instrument concepts being developed could potentially benefit personal safety and homeland Security. Private sector will be invited to develop their ability to build and implement new designs for different sensors and to test their developed devices in an already established test environment. The US PI will work with the existing University programs aimed at increasing the number of underrepresented students completing degrees in science, engineering, and mathematics. This project is being supported under the US-Egypt Joint Fund Program, which provides grants to scientists and engineers in both countries to carry out these cooperative activities.
