EPSRC Capital Award for Core Equipment Award 2022/23

EPSRC资本奖核心设备奖2022/23

• 批准号: EP/X034844/1
• 负责人: Ann Louise Heathwaite
• 金额: $ 100.02万
• 依托单位: Lancaster University
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2023 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FX034844%2F1
• 关键词: EPSRC; Capital; Award; Core; Equipment

The core-equipment award will be used to support the upgrade and expansion of two underpinning pieces of equipment as part of EPSRC's Invest to Save initiative. The equipment, which complements recent and substantial investment in infrastructure and staff, is i) a high throughput multimode Atomic Force Microscope (mmAFM) and ii) an electroencephalography (EEG) system.i) mmAFM: AFM has been instrumental in the development of nanotechnology; it is a powerful, versatile technique for studying sample surfaces and thin films, providing nanoscale resolution of electrical and thermal transport, topography, nanomechanics and many other properties. AFM works by scanning the surface of the material of interest with a nanoscale or atomically sharp probe. A feedback loop between the probe and sample allows scanning or spectroscopic characterisation of the material. One of the main advantages of AFM over many other surface characterisation techniques is its ability to deliver a wide range of material, environment and characterisation parameters. Historically, one of the limiting factors for AFM is the difficulty of mapping depth-dependent material properties in a 3-dimensional (3D) scan.The requested upgrade will overcome the 3D mapping limit. We request a significant upgrade and expansion of an existing AFM system enabling high-throughput 3D-correlated characterisation of mechanical, electrical, thermal or thermoelectric properties on conductive or insulating substrates in either controlled, ambient or liquid environments. The upgrade will be housed in the ultra-low noise environment of Lancaster's IsoLab facility and when combined with the Co-I's track records of developing and exploiting novel AFM will provide a unique, world-class facility for nanoscale materials characterisation.ii) EEG picks up the electrical signals produced by the brain through small sensors attached to a participant's scalp. It is ideal for auditory research as it can be used with individuals with hearing devices (e.g. cochlear implants, hearing aids) and in a quiet environment, unlike Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). EEG's excellent temporal resolution is advantageous when assessing the cortical response to speech as the auditory system works at the millisecond level. The data can also be analysed to reveal from which cortical area the electrical signal originated. This spatial analysis is extremely useful in MRI pilot data due to the high costs of MRI scanning (~£250 per hour) and is made more accurate by increasing the number of channels within the EEG system.The requested repair and upgrade will create a neuroimaging tool with a higher resolution than previously possible with the equipment to allow spatial analysis. Furthermore, the system will be made appropriate for both child and adult research to ensure the equipment is used for a wide range of research. The EEG system will be housed in Psychology's dedicated research building. In combination with the department's five auditory research labs and the BabyLab, this repaired and enhanced EEG system will provide a powerful base for paediatric auditory neuroscience.

核心设备奖将用于支持EPSRC投资以节省倡议的一部分的升级和扩展。该设备完成了对基础设施和员工的最新和大量投资，是i）高吞吐量多模原子力显微镜（MMAFM）和ii）脑电图（EEG）System.i）MMAFM：AFM在纳米技术的发展方面起着作用；是一种用于研究样品表面和薄膜的功能强大的技术，可提供电气和热传输，地形，纳米力学和许多其他特性的纳米级分辨率。 AFM通过用纳米级或原子尖锐的探针扫描感兴趣材料的表面。探针和样品之间的反馈回路允许对材料进行扫描或光谱表征。 AFM比许多其他表面表征技术的主要优点之一是其提供广泛的材料，环境和特征参数的能力。从历史上看，AFM的限制因素之一是在3维（3D）扫描中很难映射深度依赖性材料特性。所需的升级将克服3D映射限制。我们要求对现有的AFM系统进行显着升级和扩展，以实现在受控，环境或液体环境中的导电或绝缘基板上机械，电气，热或热电性能的高通量相关表征。该升级将安置在兰开斯特（Lancaster）Iselab设施的超低噪音环境中，当与Co-I的发展和利用小说的唱片记录相结合时，将为纳米级材料的特征提供独特的，世界一流的设施。IIII）EEG可以通过小脑通过小型传感器的尺度来挑选大脑产生的电信号。它是听觉研究的理想选择，因为它可以与具有听力设备（例如人工耳蜗，助听器）和安静的环境中使用，这与磁共振成像（MRI）不同。当听觉系统在毫秒级工作时，EEG的出色临时分辨率在评估对语音的皮质反应时是有利的。还可以分析数据，以揭示最初从哪个皮质区域从哪个皮质区域出发。由于MRI扫描的高成本（每小时约250英镑），这种空间分析在MRI Pilot数据中非常有用，并且通过增加EEG系统内的频道数量而变得更准确。所请求的维修和升级将创建一个具有比以前更高的分辨率的神经影像学工具，该工具比以前更高的设备可以允许空间分析。此外，该系统将适用于儿童和成人研究，以确保将设备用于广泛的研究。脑电图系统将安置在心理学专门的研究大楼中。结合该部门的五个听觉研究实验室和Babylab，该修复和增强的EEG系统将为儿科听觉神经科学提供强大的基础。