Diagnostic candy for sick machines

Berlin/Dresden, 17 May 2023. In order to quickly find damage in refineries, synthesis reactors or other complex systems, Fraunhofer researchers from Berlin have developed a new type of „diagnostic candy“ together with sensor experts from Dresden. This can be inserted into the oil or water circuits of defective machines in order to quickly recognise the type and cause of the malfunction. This was announced by the Berlin-based „Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration“ (IZM).

Integrated sensors for chemical analysis, heat, pressure and sound

The diagnostic capsules are barely bigger than a thimble and contain numerous sensors: a tiny resistance spectrometer takes the chemical „fingerprint“ of the chemicals in which the „candy“ floats. Other sensors measure temperature, pressure, humidity, ambient noise, acceleration and rotation or even light and colours in the machine. A radio module then transmits the collected diagnostic data to the outside world so that maintenance technicians can use it to find repair options. The capsule battery can be recharged wirelessly.

Switchboards from Sensry Dresden

The circuit boards and the basic software come from the Dresden-based company „Sensry“, which emerged from a joint research project between Dresden chip companies. The Berlin-based company „Micro Systems Technologies“ (MST) contributed the printed circuit board made of a liquid crystal polymer and the crystal carrier plates.

In the future, the partners also see the possibility of using such diagnostic capsules for medical purposes: Patients could swallow such „sweets“ so that doctors can quickly find out what the person is suffering from. However, a separate authorisation procedure would be necessary for this type of use.