Tech Briefs Magazine - May 2021 - 22

Test & Measurement
Extreme Low-Frequency Hydrophone
Applications include monitoring of earthquakes and tsunamis as well as manmade infrasonic
sources such as boats.
Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia

he extreme low-frequency infrasonic
hydrophone, with associated software,
is capable of sensing down to .0001 Hz -
a 4.999-Hz improvement from current
similar systems. This ultra-low-power-consuming hydrophone also isolates and
removes significant amounts of background noise inherent to the electrettype microphone not previously introduced into hydrophone applications.
The uniquely robust unit design also
permits sub-freezing operations deep below the surface. The results promise to
drastically alter lives and multiple industries, enabling totally new data for
weather monitoring and earthquake/
tsunami prediction, among numerous
other applications. It could also improve
current hydrophone accuracy or reliability in finding oil resources and will enable monitoring of human-generated
infrasound in water.
The hydrophone boasts unprecedented capability for precise detection
as proven in testing, where it sensed
wave range between surface waves and
tidal surges with periods between .3 and
30 seconds, or 3 to .033 Hz. The technology uses a back-electret microphone, inherently reducing noise, in a
stainless steel body. The stainless steel
diaphragm conducts infrasound well
and the material's robust nature and
internal configuration facilitates sub-

The prototype hydrophone. (Image: NASA)

freezing and deeply submerged sensing
of sound down to .0001 Hz.
With an appropriately spaced array of
three hydrophones, it is possible to determine the direction of origin of a submerged infrasonic source; the addition
of one more in another location will also
enable determination of the precise location of origin.
The oil industry uses existing infrasound systems to locate undersea oil
deposits and this technology could potentially improve the accuracy or reliability of
current practices. It could also be used to

give tsunami and earthquake warnings,
monitor ships, and generate electrical
energy from infrasound. This technology
has potential to unlock new industry uses
not currently understood due to the
unprecedented nature of its capabilities.
NASA is actively seeking licensees to commercialize this technology. Please contact
NASA's Licensing Concierge at AgencyPatent-Licensing@mail.nasa.gov or call us
at 202-358-7432 to initiate licensing discussions. Follow this link for more information:
https://technology.nasa.gov/patent/LARTOPS-321.

Chip Delivers COVID-19 Test Results on a Smartphone
Programmed magnetic nanobeads are used to detect the virus in 55 minutes or less.
Rice University, Houston, Texas

OVID-19 can be diagnosed in 55
minutes or less with the help of programmed magnetic nanobeads and a
diagnostic tool that plugs into an off-theshelf cellphone. The stamp-sized microfluidic chip measures the concentration
of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) protein
in blood serum from a standard finger
prick. The nanobeads bind to SARS-CoV-

2 N protein - a biomarker for COVID19 - in the chip and transport it to an
electrochemical sensor that detects
minute amounts of the biomarker.
The process simplifies sample handling compared to swab-based PCR tests
that are widely used to diagnose COVID19 and need to be analyzed in a laboratory. The entire new test can be per-

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Cov

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formed and the results generated at the
collection site, health clinic, or even a
pharmacy. The entire system is easily
transportable and easy to use.
To test the device, the researchers
relied on donated serum samples from
people who were healthy and others who
were COVID-19-positive. A longer incubation yields more accurate results when
Tech Briefs, May 2021

https://technology.nasa.gov/patent/LAR-TOPS-321 http://www.techbriefs.com http://www.abpi.net/ntbpdfclicks/l.php?202105TBNAV

Tech Briefs Magazine - May 2021

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