Proposed Implementation | AshesiGhana

HOW IT WORKS

🐛 Engineered E-coli cells are encapsulated in partially permeable hydrogel spheres to prevent them from escaping while allowing them to interact with metal ions.
🐛 The hydrogel spheres are loaded into the stake which provides a rigid supporting framework to the spheres and enables easy handling and physical containment upon deployment.
🐛 Upon marking the area to prospect, the explorers will use a chiseled/sharp-pointed wooden pestle to dig about 30cm into the ground and place the loaded stick in the holes created.
🐛 They will leave the stick plunged for 24 hours to 48 hours to allow bacteria growth and interaction with the ions in the soil.
🐛 After the growth period, the electronic sensors will pick up the color emitted by the bacteria.
🐛 They will match the color detected with the color spectrum (which we are yet to develop through experimentation) to ascertain the chances of gold presence over the prospected area.
🐛 Having noted the color, the explorer will turn on the UV-LEDs which will activate autolytic enzymes in the bacteria.
🐛 Finally the stick is emptied, sterilized and stored for reuse.

Figure 2: Picture of Lighted Stick

FUTURE ENTREPRENEURSHIP IMPLEMENTATION

OVERVIEW

Having validated the need for mining companies and small-scale miners for faster, more affordable, and more accurate early-stage gold prospecting methods, Team AshesiGhana embarked on a quest to develop and deliver a solution by leveraging Synthetic Biology. In approaching the journey, the team used design thinking tools [feasibility, viability, and desirability] and the lean startup methodology [build/design, measure, and learn], which kept the users and stakeholders engaged throughout the journey.

The team is currently working on the laboratory proof of concept for the proposed Biosensor but based on the interactions we have had with our various stakeholders, we have come up with a proposed implementation plan – the Bio-stick.

THE JOURNEY TO BIO-SENSOR CUSTOMER VALIDATION

To ensure that our Bio-sensor implementation is feasible, viable, and desirable we:

i. Checked for Feasibility – Our team researched current Synthetic Biology applications and our laboratory capacity.
ii Checked for Viability – We considered the sustainability of the Bio-sensor adoption model by considering the method of deployment (Stick) and materials (PVC, UV LEDs) versus the potential users, small-scale miners, and large-scale mining companies.
iii. Checked for Desirability – We contrasted our Biosensor and its ability to enable

We did this by adopting the lean research model and design thinking methodology.

📌 We first talked to small-scale miners, minerals commissions, and large-scale mining companies to validate the need for accurate, faster, and more affordable early-stage prospecting methods.
📌 validated the need, we adopted the lean research method to ensure that the final version of the Biosensor will indeed solve the identified market and that the users are willing to pay for it.
📌 Thus, our lean experimentation and iterative design encompassed the design/build, measure, and learn cycle.

Figure 3: (Jubility,n.d) Lean Startup Method: Build, Measure, Learn

i. Design/Build – Our first Bio-sensor design used drones for imaging bacteria growth to ascertain the chances of gold presence.
ii. Measure – We shared the design infographic with various stakeholders, the minerals commission, and small-scale and large-scale mining companies for their feedback.
iii. Learn – From the feedback we got, we realized that though they liked the idea, they had concerns about the sustainability of the deployment method.

Thus, the team incorporated the feedback into the design and redesigned the biosensor to be deployed in a stick. More than 90% of the stakeholders shared with this design have indicated that they are willing to patronize the stick gold Biosensor once it’s launched into the market

Figure 4: How iteration influenced our implementation

PROGRESS

To ensure that our Bio-sensor implementation is feasible, viable, and desirable we:

✅ Having validated the Biosensor’s usability and desirability with the users, the team has begun working on the laboratory proof of concept.
✅ We have split of engineering teams into 2:

Wet lab- Working on proof of concepts and in-lab repeatable models to ensure sustainable production and distribution of the Biosensor.

Hardware- The team is working on developing the physical stick which will serve as a secure physical structure to ensure easy and safe deployment of the Biosensor. The stick is armed with UV-LEDs which will be activated after exploration and will activate the UV-autolytic kill switch in the engineered e-coli cells in the biosensor as a complementary security measure to ensure no escapes to the environment after use. The stick is ready.

PROJECTED BUSINESS MODEL AND SAFETY

With the validated stick Biosensor design, the team has projected a business for its use and adoption into the market.

👉🏽 Given the environmental safety concerns that come with deploying genetically engineered species into the environment, the team incorporated security features in the Bio-sensor design to eliminate survival chances of engineered cells outside the hydrogel containment however, to further secure responsible adoption the team is planning on extending and negotiating the partnership with Minerals Commission of Ghana.
👉🏽 The Minerals commission will ensure that the Biosensors are sold to only registered mining entities that conform to standardized deployment procedures.
👉🏽 With this plan the minerals commission will serve as our primary channel to reach potential customers upon launch.
👉🏽 The projected standardized deployment strategy will include:

i. marking areas to be prospected,
ii. putting security in the area during the prospecting time frame
iii. activate UV-LEDs on the sticks after prospecting

CHALLENGES TO CONSIDER

✍🏽 The team is considering the sustainability of the payment model with the users which could be subscription or transaction
✍🏽 Costs involved in delivering the Biosensor given the need to maintain optimal conditions for bacteria which will call upon special transport and storage facilities which are most likely to be laboratories.

References

Jubility. (n.d.). Lean Startup Method: Build, Measure, Learn [Pinterest post]. Pinterest. Retrieved October 10, 2022, from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/lean-startup-method-build-measure-learn--743868063450233892/

Description

Design

Results

Implementation

Contribution

Modelling

Proof of Concept

Safety

Notebook

Engineering

Team

Attributions

Collaboration

Medals

Education

Communication

Partnership

Inclusivity

Sustainable Development Impact

IMPLEMENTATION

Hardware implementation

OVERVIEW

HOW IT WORKS

FUTURE ENTREPRENEURSHIP IMPLEMENTATION

OVERVIEW

THE JOURNEY TO BIO-SENSOR CUSTOMER VALIDATION

We did this by adopting the lean research model and design thinking methodology.

PROGRESS

PROJECTED BUSINESS MODEL AND SAFETY

CHALLENGES TO CONSIDER