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Improved capabilities in microfluidics, electrochemistry, and portable assays have resulted in the development of a wide range of point-of-use sensors intended for environmental, medical, and agricultural applications in resource-limited environments of developing countries. However, these devices are frequently developed without direct interaction with their often-remote intended user base, creating the potential for a disconnect between users' actual needs and those perceived by sensor developers. As different analytical techniques have inherent strengths and limitations, effective measurement solution development requires determination of desired sensor attributes early in the development process. In this work, we present our findings on design priorities for point-of-use microbial water sensors based on fieldwork in rural India, as well as a guide to fieldwork methodologies for determining desired sensor attributes. We utilized group design workshops for initial identification of design priorities, and then conducted choice-based conjoint analysis interviews for quantification of user preferences among these priorities. We found the highest user preference for integrated reporting of contaminant concentration and recommended actions, as well as significant preferences for mostly reusable sensor architectures, same-day results, and combined ingredients. These findings serve as a framework for future microbial sensor development and a guide for fieldwork-based understanding of user needs.

Thesis: M.C.P., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Urban Studies and Planning, 2018., Thesis: S.M. in Technology and Policy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Engineering, Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, 2018.., Cataloged from PDF version of thesis., Includes bibliographical references (pages 91-93)., NGOs are an important actor in rural India, and are increasingly important in implementing water and sanitation infrastructure. This thesis first systematically investigates physical conditions that lead to good bacteriological water quality in rural India, and then investigates how NGOs are inserting themselves into this space. Ultimately, this work examines under what conditions NGOs are effective in advancing water and sanitation systems, with a focus on how they build up, empower, and utilize local community organizations to do so. Thus, the strategies of two NGOs working in rural India that have facilitated the implementation of water and sanitation infrastructure are analyzed using an extension of Field Theory by Asad & Kay (2014). The way these NGOs create alliances, use resources, and change frames to advance water and sanitation infrastructure are similar in some ways, while distinct in others. This analysis demonstrates that these organizations are able to harmonize and negotiate their development agenda with that of the state in order to make progress in water and sanitation systems. Combining a systems analysis of rural communities' water quality with an analysis of strategies of NGOs illuminates practical implications for how policymakers can expect these organizations to incorporate new technologies and policies., by Sydney Brooks Beasley., M.C.P., S.M. in Technology and Policy