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两个基础设备的升级和扩展，作为 EPSRC 投资节约计划的一部分。该设备补充了近期对基础设施和人员的大量投资，是 i) 一种高吞吐量多模设备。原子力显微镜 (mmAFM) 和 ii) 脑电图 (EEG) 系统。 i) mmAFM：AFM 在纳米技术的发展中发挥了重要作用；它是一种强大的多功能技术，用于研究样品表面和薄，提供电和热传输、形貌、纳米力学和许多其他特性的纳米级分辨率，AFM 通过使用纳米级或原子级尖锐的探针薄膜扫描感兴趣的材料的表面来进行工作。与许多其他表面表征技术相比，AFM 的主要优点之一是它能够提供广泛的材料、环境和表征参数。从历史上看，AFM 的限制因素之一是绘图的难度。 3 维 (3D) 扫描中与深度相关的材料属性。所请求的升级将克服 3D 映射限制。我们要求对现有 AFM 系统进行重大升级和扩展，以实现机械、电气、受控环境或液体环境中导电或绝缘基材的热或热电特性升级将在兰卡斯特 IsoLab 设施的超低噪音环境中进行，并与 Co-I 的跟踪记录相结合。开发和开发新型 AFM 将为纳米级材料表征提供独特的、世界一流的设施。ii) 脑电图通过连接到头皮上的小型传感器拾取参与者大脑产生的电信号，它是听觉研究的理想选择。与具有听力设备（例如人工耳蜗、助听器）的个人一起在安静的环境中使用，与磁共振成像 (MRI) 不同，脑电图出色的时间分辨率在评估皮质对言语的反应时具有优势。由于听觉系统在毫秒级工作，因此还可以分析数据以揭示电信号源自哪个皮质区域，由于 MRI 扫描的成本很高（每次约 250 英镑），因此这种空间分析在 MRI 引导数据中非常有用。小时），并且通过增加脑电图系统内的通道数量而变得更加准确。所要求的修复和升级将创建一个比以前更高分辨率的神经成像工具，并允许空间分析。适合两者儿童和成人研究，以确保该设备用于广泛的研究，该脑电图系统将安置在心理学的专用研究大楼内，与该系的五个听觉研究实验室和婴儿实验室相结合，该修复和增强的脑电图系统将提供。儿科听觉神经科学的强大基础。