# Ultrafine Particulate Monitor for Personal Exposure Assessment

> **NIH NIH R44** · AERODYNE MICROSYSTEMS, INC. · 2022 · $845,918

## Abstract

Exposure to particulate air pollutants is associated with cardiovascular disease, asthma, lung cancer, and other
illnesses. In the United States the CDC estimates that asthma costs $20 billion annually in medical care, lost
workdays, and early deaths. However, due to the complexity of the environmental exposure mechanisms,
there remains a degree of uncertainty concerning disease etiology. Wearable and highly-sensitive particulate
sensors could help further elucidate the linkages between disease and particulate exposure.
In this Small Business Innovation Research Phase 2 project Aerodyne Microsystems Inc. (AMI) will investigate
the feasibility of a miniaturized, battery-powered, and inexpensive sensor for real-time monitoring of exposure
to airborne particulate matter (PM) from 2.5 um to ultrafine. The system employs the thermophoretic
deposition of particulates from a sample air stream onto a thin-film bulk acoustic wave resonator (FBAR), and
determines the PM mass deposited by measuring the frequency shift of oscillation. Incorporation of
micromachined-electromechanical-system (MEMS) technologies allows unprecedented reduction in power
consumption, cost, sample flow rate, and size.
The research plan is to develop and experimentally demonstrate a new method for generation of air flow in the
device, demonstrate sensor operation across a wide range of harsh, real-world operating conditions, and
realize a new technique for aerosol sampling and handling that improves the sensor level of detection. The
successful outcome of the project would culminate in a low-cost analytical instrument that provides real-time
mass concentration of particles in a compact, wearable form factor. The monitor would be suitable for
quantification of personal exposure to a range of environmental pollutants such as automotive exhaust, wood
smoke, and nanoparticles. Other markets for the instrument include ventilation control, industrial hygiene,
power plant monitoring, pharmaceutical powder processing, monitoring in aircraft and automobiles, and
consumer air quality monitoring.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10485085
- **Project number:** 2R44ES030264-02
- **Recipient organization:** AERODYNE MICROSYSTEMS, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** David Michael Woolsey
- **Activity code:** R44 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $845,918
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2019-01-01 → 2024-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10485085

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10485085, Ultrafine Particulate Monitor for Personal Exposure Assessment (2R44ES030264-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10485085. Licensed CC0.

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