Trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles could run more efficiently while cutting tailpipe emissions, thanks to a discovery in an MIT lab that, with the help of the Institute’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, is now the focus of a start-up that has drawn attention — and funding — from the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy. At MIT’s Sloan Automotive Lab Alexander Sappok, then a graduate student, and Dr Leslie Bromberg realised that the radio-frequency (RF) signals key to transmitting data to and from cell phones and other wireless devices might also solve an automotive problem. The signals could be analysed to monitor the buildup of soot in the filters that prevent trucks from spewing black smoke.

“It turns out that the carbon in soot is really good at absorbing RF signals. So the more soot in the filter, the weaker the RF signal gets, and we can measure that directly in real time,” says Sappok, now President of Filter Sensing Technologies (FST), the company he started in 2008 while still a student. (Bromberg is chief technology officer.)

FST’s research and development focuses on advanced sensors, control systems, and emissions reduction technologies. FST provides high-value solutions to meet today’s most stringent emissions standards for a diverse range of on- and off-road applications. Its patented sensing and measurement technologies, and related equipment, provide customers with cutting-edge solutions to meet even the most demanding challenges facing energy consumption and the environment.

Currently, there is no way to easily inspect for soot buildup, so filters are automatically cleaned at scheduled intervals and for set amounts of time using a high-temperature process that consumes extra fuel. FST has developed an inexpensive sensor that uses RF signals to detect buildup in real time. The resulting data can optimise the cleanup process, saving fuel. Tests on garbage trucks, for example, have shown the sensors can cut cleanup time in half. They have also shown that the time between cleanings can be extended.

Sappok emphasises how instrumental MIT’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and resources were to getting FST off the ground. He also got very involved with MIT’s Venture Mentoring Service (VMS). “We still meet with some of the mentors and participate in many VMS events,” says Sappok. Further, through VMS’s Ventureships program, a team of MIT students helped FST with a case study and market research. “They looked at a whole range of potential applications for the technology and ranked them in terms of market size and suitability,” he says.

Finally, Sappok worked closely with the Institute’s Technology Licensing Office on patent applications and intellectual property. “I really can’t say enough about the resources and ecosystem at MIT that facilitate entrepreneurial efforts,” he concludes.