Fluid Sensor Suites
WHAM
WHAM (Weighted Heuristic Analyzer Monitor) is a lightweight, cross-platform expert system for assessment of candidate water sources based on public regulations. Using no reagents or destructive methods, it executes sensor measurements in real-time and analyzes those measurements in parallel to provide instantaneous sample assessment.
Modular and flexible in its design, WHAM can be configured to interface with a wide variety of sensors and apply different sets of regulations based on context and need, using semantic computing algorithms to track, sort, and evaluate data based on a regulatory database. WHAM has been integrated with electrochemical sensors, particulate sensors, and spectrometers, and is versatile and scalable. WHAM has been used to characterize numerous water samples, including deionized water as well as local (Amherst, Massachusetts, USA) tap and pond water.
ElectroSeptic
FTL developed a forward-deployable wastewater solution for the Air Force. FTL’s “ElectroSeptic” technology was aimed at reducing both energy use and footprint for rapid-setup, air-drop water treatment systems.
The core of the ElectroSeptic technology was a novel microbial fuel cell that could break down organic carbon molecules in wastewater using microbial thin films grown on a semi-permeable aerated membrane. Waste particulates in the effluent were able to be digested by “electrogen” microbes with severely reduced O2 input need, thus saving significant air pumping related costs.
Challenges included optimizing aeration bubble size and delivery and minimization of particulate biomatter build-up. This project was a collaboration with municipal and academic wastewater treatment facilities and included optimization of accurate and automated water monitoring.