Special Mention for the Institute's "Smart Shell" project

On the 9^th of March 2013, the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise "G. Caporale" (IZSAM) received a special mention for technological innovation at the Meeting delle Idee in the framework of "White Information", the principal winter convention of South-Central Italy organised by the Group of Young Entrepreneurs of Confindustria. 

Thanks to this event, which has taken place since 3 years in Roccaraso, the Group of Young Entrepreneurs of Confindustria Teramo, in collaboration with the Confindustria Young Entrepreneurs Regional Committee of Abruzzo, gave to the Region a leading role in the national scenario with a format that informs, engages and motivates young generations on business and entrepreneurs hip issues. In 2013, following the success of its two previous editions, the convention turned into a laboratory and incubator of business projects, focusing on innovative ideas, start-ups and global competition.

This year, the organising committee awarded the Special Mention for technological innovation to the "Smart Shell" project. The project was presented by Federica Di Giacinto, researcher at the Inland Waters Biology Department of the IZSAM, with the technical support of engineer Luigi Carbone of the Officine Inovo, Teramo.

"Smart Shell" is an innovative early warning system for the biological monitoring of water quality, which uses fresh waters hell fish, as sentinel organisms, for detecting any water contamination. The system functioningis based on the analysis of these organisms' shells opening and closing behaviour; the analysis is conducted through constant recording (24 h) using sensors specifically developed by the IZSAM.

Unlike traditional analytic systems, this biological system is able to detect the presence of an undefined number of substances and mixtures with synergistic toxicity. "Smart Shell" is characterised by anadopted approach, which allows the detection of changes in the movement of the shells at a distance, affecting neither the behaviour of the animal nor its own welfare.