“I am particularly gratified that this license has resulted from on-going, and clearly productive research collaboration between Sensor Development and researchers at CWRU,” said Jim Wagner, the university’s interim president. “I view this model of developing strategic research relationships with local and regional industries as an ideal mechanism by which CWRU will play a pivotal role in driving economic growth for the region, and create jobs in all sectors of the economy.”

Sensor development is currently developing a gas sensor that would detect minute levels of contaminants in the air of buildings. Markets, according to company president Nick Smilanich, include manufacturers of hvac systems for office buildings, factories, schools, and hospitals. Smilanich said the company expects to have a product on the market by 2003 or 2004.

C.C. Liu, the Wallace R. Persons Professor of Sensor Technology and Control in the Department of Chemical Engineering in CWRU’s Case School of Engineering, developed the technology in which the product is based. Liu explains that the technology is based on nanocrystalline materials that have proved to work well in sensing gases such as carbon monoxide.

Publication date: 07/02/2001