Grantee Research Project Results

Final Report: Low Cost Hyperspectral Measurement System to Identify Harmful Materials in Construction and Demolition (C&D) Materials

EPA Contract Number: 68HERC20C0051
Title: Low Cost Hyperspectral Measurement System to Identify Harmful Materials in Construction and Demolition (C&D) Materials
Investigators: Harsh, Kevin
Small Business: Sporian Microsystems Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: II
Project Period: June 1, 2020 through May 31, 2022
Project Amount: $299,915
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase II (2020) Recipients Lists
Research Category: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)

Description:

Because C&D materials constitute a significant waste stream, increasing the diversion of C&D materials through recycling and reuse is identified as an area of need in EPA’s Sustainable materials management (SMM) Program Strategic Plan. Due to a lack of technologies to quickly identify constituents, C&D-materials recyclers often dispose of potentially usable materials as a matter of precaution. There is a need for inexpensive technologies that can quickly identify potentially harmful constituents prior to deconstruction or in C&D recycling facilities to increase C&D materials recycling. Hyperspectral imaging is emerging as a non-destructive, real-time detection tool for industrial sensing and inspection processes. The long term goal of the proposed work is to realize a hyperspectral measurement system for C&D materials inspection applications by utilizing a novel optical system designed using a set of low cost components to achieve cost, size, and performance goals. The novel optical design originates from (and heavily leverages) Sporian’s prior development efforts on hyperspectral measurement systems for airborne and environmental/agricultural field monitoring applications. The Phase II effort focused on detailed total system design, several rounds of prototyping and testing, and working with relevant research and industry partners for field testing. The primary technical objectives for Phase II were:

·         Phase II Technical Objective 1: Continue working with technical partners and potential end users to guide the development of useful implementations of the proposed technology, and facilitate transition efforts.

·         Phase II Technical Objective 2: Develop initial detailed designs for the C&D application specific form-factor total integrated system (hardware, electronics, and firmware), revise based on experimental input, and develop final designs for prototyping and testing. 

·         Phase II Technical Objective 3: Rigorous testing of prototype systems in lab-scale and field environments to validate potential application suitability

Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):

All Phase II proposed objectives and milestones were successfully completed, and has favorably positioned Sporian to transition the technology for post-Phase II customer-driven testing, certification, and commercialization. Key milestones included: a revised fundamental understanding of key technical and economic requirements for practical implementation of proposed technology and critical success factors; detailed next-generation full systems design for all hardware elements; detailed next-generation and full integrated electronics platform design and operational firmware implementing all key functions and features; rigorous experimental results to guide subsequent design revision/optimization, and showing the application suitability of the system designs and prototypes; a definitive demonstration of technology viability in application environments, laying the groundwork for full pilot-scale customer-system integrated testing under the Phase II Commercialization Option as well as post Phase II technology transition/commercialization; and a revised quantitative analysis supporting economic targets for the proposed technology, and an updated development roadmap for post Phase II commercial transition efforts.

Conclusions:

The target commercial application for the innovation is the construction and demolition industry as well as organizations that specialize in waste collection and materials recovery. Through C&D industry stakeholder interviews and market research, Sporian identified technology gaps that are hindering C&D materials collection and reuse. Customers for an automated materials classification system for C&D materials consist of construction and demolition companies, waste collection companies, materials recovery facilities, and waste management facilities, as well as the service providers and regulatory agencies serving each of these. Regarding market openness, different stakeholders have different ideas of where the sensor could best be used in the waste stream, with technology gaps and viable use cases existing throughout the C&D waste and recovery supply chain. Because of the broad utility of the technology, other commercial applications include mining, agriculture, food quality, defense, nuclear nonproliferation, forestry, oil & gas, and disaster site surveying. From environmental protection and resource sustainability to safety and quality assurance, the potential benefits and commercial applications for the technology are numerous and substantial.

SBIR Phase I:

Low cost hyperspectral measurement system to identify harmful materialsin construction and demolition (C&D) materials  | Final Report