Public Funding for Flusso Limited

This project aims to demonstrate a smart COMBO Gallium Nitride on Silicon (GaN-on-Si) multisensory technology platform for simultaneous flow, pressure, temperature and gas (CO2 or H2) detection in usual and harsh environments (e.g. aerospace, automotive, industrial, and medical). All the existent solutions are not suitable for harsh environments and are based on bulky and overpriced technology based on discrete Si type sensors. They are exploited by companies, such as Bosch, Austria Microsystems (AMS), and Sensirion. Our proprietary technology is based on integrated AlGaN/GaN heterostructures combined with a deep etch of the Si substrate to leave thin membranes behind where highly sensitive elements for gas, pressure, temprature and flow are embedded. These sensitive elements are made of surface electron layers (known under the name of 2DEGs - two dimensional electron gases) formed at the interface between different nitride based materials. Two micro SMEs - Cambridge GaN Devices (CGD) and Flusso (FLS) - one large company - Microsemi (MSL) - and University of Cambridge (UCAM) are forming a small and dynamic consortium with complementary skills and expertise, in a strong position to exploit major commercial outcomes of this project.

BreathFit will develop a breathanalyser for supporting individuals in setting personalized fat-burning diets and exercises. Fat rather than sugars is actually used by the body to support body energetic needs in individuals following a low-carb diet and/or doing prolonged aerobic exercises. Fat is converted into by-products during this process and one of these is a molecule called acetone. Acetone is present in blood in a very small amount, however, a part of it escapes from the body during the respiration process. Interestingly, it has been demonstrated that the acetone concentration in breath can help predicting weight losses in people following diets with a restricted intake of sugars. However, concentrations of acetone in breath are very low and only 1 molecule of acetone is found among a million of other gas molecules present in human breath. Thus, currently, acetone has to be measured by skilled personnel using large and expensive lab-equipment. BreathFit proposes to build an affordable breathanalyser which can be operated by any individual to accomplish the above measurement. The core of this instrument is the integration of gases, flow and temperature miniaturized sensors which are based on the same technology employed for producing camera and calculator processors.