Electronic noses (e-noses) have a wide range of applications in agri-/horticultural, food, environmental, medical, industrial, smart home, and homeland security domains. However, state-of-the-art e-noses are typically built from a few discrete gas sensors, connected to separate read-out, A/D, control, and I/O electronics. They are inflexible, large, power-hungry and expensive. This severely limits their use for continuous fine-grid monitoring of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in mobile (drones, robots), hand-held, and disposable devices.

A fully integrated low-power/-area smart e-nose with many late-definable parallel “odor channels” and embedded signal processing would solve these issues and enable a variety of novel applications in a cost-effective way.

In this project, you will research, develop and test:

• A low-power tiny smart e-nose system based on a novel CMOS-based multi-sensor peripheral, embedded in a microcontroller (MCU), and functionalized for simultaneous detection of mixtures of VOCs.
• Tiny portable test boards and software for laboratory and field tests, and data collection.
• Embedded signal processing and machine learning algorithms, to interpret the sensor data.

You will also:

• Participate in field tests and demonstrations.
• Collect and investigate data for training machine learning algorithms.
• Publish results in/at high-impact journals and conferences

The e-nose will enable early detection of diseases, and pest infestation of plants, to:

• Prevent crop failure and food spoilage.
• Reduce use of pest control chemicals.
• Stop deforestation (to replace infested fields and plantations).

In this multidisciplinary project you will collaborate closely with the faculty 3mE (Precision and Microsystems Engineering department), and with industrial project partners.

Website and references:

http://bioelectronics.tudelft.nl/

http://pme.tudelft.nl/dmn

• MSc degree in Electronics or Physics.
• Team player with strong competences in electronics, IC design, and system integration.
• Experience with signal processing and machine learning is preferred.
• Good communication skills are mandatory.

Fixed-term contract: 4 years.

TU Delft offers PhD-candidates a 4-year contract, with an official go/no go progress assessment after one year. Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from € 2434 per month in the first year to € 3111 in the fourth year. As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills.

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance and sport memberships, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged. For international applicants we offer the Coming to Delft Service and Partner Career Advice to assist you with your relocation.

Delft University of Technology

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context. At TU Delft we embrace diversity and aim to be as inclusive as possible (see our Code of Conduct). Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale.

Challenge. Change. Impact! 

Faculty Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science

The Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science (EEMCS) brings together three disciplines - electrical engineering, mathematics and computer science. Combined, they reinforce each other and are the driving force behind the technology we use in our daily lives. Technology such as the electricity grid, which our faculty is helping to make future-proof. We are also working on a world in which humans and computers reinforce each other. We are mapping out disease processes using single cell data, and using mathematics to simulate gigantic ash plumes after a volcanic eruption. There is plenty of room here for ground-breaking research. We educate innovative engineers and have excellent labs and facilities that underline our strong international position. In total, more than 1,100 employees and 4,000 students work and study in this innovative environment.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science.