San Francisco - Sept. 21, 2021 - Technology industry leaders Phizzle, Cisco, Intel, and Glasshouse Systems announced today that they will work with the University of Miami Institute for Data Science and Computing (IDSC) to identify ways to use lab-grade cleanroom technology and data analytics in traditional campus buildings, as a way to monitor air quality in real-time.
The collaboration leverages innovative IoT edge technologies pioneered in pharmaceutical manufacturing, where safety is a requirement — and will explore ways to ensure student, faculty, and staff wellness on campus.
A global leader in data-intensive research, IDSC is teaming with the technology industry leaders to measure air quality inside campus buildings at levels of granularity typically associated with manufacturing or R&D clean rooms. The companies had previously worked together to develop an automated air quality measurement system for the pharmaceutical industry that was successfully deployed in the University of Miami’s Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Biomedical Nanotechnology Institute (BioNIUM) Nanofabrication Facility.
“We have already captured data and found ways to improve building health on campus,” said Nick Tsinoremas, vice provost for research and computing and IDSC founding director at the University of Miami. “It is our intent to build a global data repository and apply deep data science to make indoor air quality as easy to understand as outdoor air quality.”
Studies have shown that certain levels of very small particulate matter in a building’s air can contribute to the transmission of viruses and other airborne illnesses. Particulate matter less than 2.5 microns—or about 30 times smaller than a human hair—can travel deeply into the respiratory tract, reaching the lungs.
The University’s Nanofabrication Facility is one of the cleanest air environments in the world, as the lab is nearly devoid of particulate matter that could contaminate experiments or research taking place at the molecular level. The lab exceeds the “class one” clean room industry standard. A class one clean room permits just 12 particles per cubic meter at .3 microns or smaller.
“We are excited to bring innovation from the pharmaceutical industry to the university campus, especially in the era of COVID,” said Ben Davis, Phizzle CEO. “Counting what matters most in the air, under the most stringent conditions, is what the EDGMaker solution is built for and we look forward to helping ensure campus air is as pristine as a clean room.”
Phizzle’s EDGMaker software will be used with lab-grade particle counters to measure air quality inside and outside university-designated buildings. Cisco’s 829 edge routers provide secure connectivity and Intel Xeon Scalable processors are crucial to measuring indoor air quality in real-time. Glasshouse Systems will provide the managed services to deliver the initiative with the university.
"The University of Miami is a pioneer in applying data science to indoor air quality measurements made with lab-grade instruments," said Robert Moniz, President, GlassHouse Systems, US. "This combination of industry with academic thought leadership is exciting and will change the way we live and work safely indoors."
“We’re proud to collaborate and innovate with IDSC, Cisco, Glasshouse Systems and Phizzle to support a healthy campus at the University of Miami,” said Joe Jensen, Vice President, Internet of Things Group, General Manager, Retail, Banking, Hospitality & Education of Intel. “As a result of combining Phizzle’s EDGMaker solution with Cisco’s Catalyst and Nexus solutions fueled by Intel Xeon Scalable processors, University of Miami researchers can now analyze in real time and assist in making faster informed decisions in order to have a direct, immediate, and positive impact on building health and campus well-being.”
IDSC plans to publish the documentation of its air quality testing after deploying and extensively testing the solution across its Coral Gables Campus. The Institute plans to collaborate with other universities and locally within the Coral Gables community to extend the clean air benefits beyond its campus.
For more information on this collaboration, please reach out to Jeff Cristee, Phizzle Chief Revenue Officer.
Phizzle’s EDGMaker is the only SaaS-based IoT solution to remotely operate multiple scientific instrument brands and systems from a single, cloud-based user interface – harmonizing the control and integration of data from these heterogeneous devices into automated workflow systems. Phizzle’s EDGMaker creates the most customer value in regulated or compliance use cases for pharmaceutical manufacturing, food production and cleanrooms.
