by Michael D’Agati ’18   An electrochemical biosensor is a type of sensor that can provide quantifiable information based on the relationship between electricity and an identifiable chemical change inside a human, such as a glucose sensor that uses electrical means to detect change. Recently, paper-based devices have grown in the development of electrochemical applications because of their simplicity, low cost, and smaller usage of laboratory … Continue reading Paper-based Electrochemical Biosensor

by Michael D’Agati ’18   Some devices that aid human function, such as cochlear or real-time biosensors, only function inside the body. However, it is not practical to power them with batteries because of their potential toxicity and relatively short lifetimes. Because of these reasons, inductive coupling has been studied for wireless power transfer to these embedded biosensors. In other words, an external power source can … Continue reading Powering Biosensors with Magnets

By Michael D’Agati   Finding new materials and geometries for the creation of transistors has become a focal point in the field of electronics within the past decade. This transition from silicon-based materials is important towards keeping up with a prediction made by Intel co-founder Gordon Moore, which states that the number of transistors in a dense integrated circuit doubles every two years. In other … Continue reading A New Transistor Supercapacitor Hybrid: The Transcap

by Michael D’Agati   The development of classic silicon-based transistors at the nanoscale level has become more challenging, especially within the past decade. Scientists have thus turned towards producing transistors with new materials and geometries. Black phosphorus (BP), a material discovered a few years ago, could potentially provide a breakthrough towards making smaller transistors. It has grown in popularity in electronic device production because of its … Continue reading Black Phosphorus Aids Development of Nanoscale Transistors

by Michael D’Agati   The number of transistors in an integrated circuit doubles every other year, according to Moore’s Law. This means that transistors must either continue to shrink beyond the nanoscopic scale or utilize different materials and geometries. However, limitations of atomic interactions at such a small scale make it difficult for transistors to be shrunk past the nanoscopic scale. In order to combat this … Continue reading A New Generation of Transistors

by Michael D’Agati Most aspects of electrical design and electrical engineering, such as circuits, wouldn’t be possible without batteries. Good batteries have a large capacity, high power density (quick charge/discharge cycles), and low cost energy storage. A few different types of rechargeable batteries have been developed, but at low temperatures, like -15°C, they charge slowly. This results in a severe voltage drop that can trigger problems … Continue reading Sodium Ion Batteries in Cold Climates

by Michael D’Agati   The improvements in energy storage have been slow and costly, despite all the advancements in technology over the past decades. For this reason, there has been a lot of focus from research groups worldwide on different sources and methods of energy storage. One type of energy storage device that may be promising for the future is the supercapacitor. Supercapacitors have the ability … Continue reading Storing More Energy with Carbon