Tom Branna, Chief Content Officer01.25.24
Household and personal product formulation development and product design is challenging, time-consuming and resource-intensive. University of Miami professors insist artificial intelligence (AI) can help chemists do their jobs faster and better.
Dr. Samiul Amin and Dr. Yelena Yesha are co-founders of FastFormulator, a system that combines artificial intelligence with machine learning to help formulators design smarter, more sustainable products.
“Product development is more complex with new drivers such as sustainability,” explained Yesha. “Every company is trying to incorporate sustainable, biodegradable ingredients. They have to reformulate.”
The company founders bring unique skill sets to FastFormulator.
Amin is professor of practice at the University of Miami, Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering Department. Prior to entering academia, first at Manhattan College and now at Miami, he had more than 22 years of experience with companies such as Unilever, L’Oréal and ExxonMobil. He has expertise in formulation design, colloids and complex fluids, rheology and tribology.
Yesha is the Knight Foundation Endowed Chair of Data Science and AI at the Institute for Data Science and Computing (IDSC) at the University of Miami, where she also serves as the IDSC Innovation Officer and Head of International Relations. Her research focuses on blockchains, cybersecurity and big data analytics with applications to electronic commerce, climate change and digital healthcare. Yesha has built several successful technology startups—FastFormulator may be another.
Amin and Yesha met at a University of Miami event in 2022 when she gave a talk on artificial intelligence. Her presentation made him realize that AI and machine learning could play a key role in improving and accelerating the product development process.
“The stars were aligned. Yelena had worked in pharma. She could see how to bring this together,” recalled Amin. “AI can help formulators find the ‘hot spots’ in formula that we wouldn’t find even if were conducting tests 24/7. AI and machine learning can find that gold nugget.”
Working with other data scientists, Amin and Yesha discovered predictability in complex formulas and created an algorithm based on their findings. The University of Miami has filed a patent and the pair focused on the best way to commercialize and market their creation. Amin says it will benefit companies in a range of industries, including cosmetics, food, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, paints, inks and coatings.
“All of them are moving toward sustainability, but there is no easy way to get there,” explained Amin. “It is incredibly complex and involves a tremendous number of ingredients.”
All that complexity results in a tremendous number of finished products, too. According to one industry source, more than 30,000 consumer packaged goods are launched every year.
“The concept is to make formulation easier and faster,” said Amin. “You don’t always need new molecules to bring new ideas to market.”
“There are groups that perform AI modeling, but they don’t have our deep understanding of the science,” insisted Amin.
In addition to its founders, FastFormulator has experienced staff of senior AI/ML engineers and formulation analysts. The University of Miami team uses a hybrid model that starts with AI and is backed by its formulating expertise to create prototype formulas faster than traditional trial-and-error processes. The ultimate goal, says Amin, is to move formulation work onto a robotic platform.
“Benchtop experimental formulation can take months, this can be reduced to almost real time predictive guidance once the models are optimized,” boasted Amin.
Some of the formulation and advanced characterization techniques available at FastFormulator include:
• DLS/Zeta Potential
• Diffusing Wave Spectroscopy
• MS Dispersion Multiscan Analysis
• Optical Tensiometer
• High Sensitivity Rheometer
• Nanoplasmonic Sensor
At the same time, AI can be utilized to create better processes, not just better products. The University of Miami process can help reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and create more sustainable formulas, according to Yesha.
“This is an inflection point for the industry,” she said. “The rules are being rewritten. Products must be reformulated. This is an opportunity to make more sustainable products.”
Once the machine learning model is optimized and refined, companies will be able to license the technology and use it across all of their sites for an annual subscription.
“It will create free time for chemists to work smarter and bring real creativity to their work,” said Amin.
How Beauty Industry Marketers Can Leverage Artificial Intelligence to Create Loyal Customers
Mintel Introduces New Market Intelligence AI
Dr. Samiul Amin and Dr. Yelena Yesha are co-founders of FastFormulator, a system that combines artificial intelligence with machine learning to help formulators design smarter, more sustainable products.
“Product development is more complex with new drivers such as sustainability,” explained Yesha. “Every company is trying to incorporate sustainable, biodegradable ingredients. They have to reformulate.”
The company founders bring unique skill sets to FastFormulator.
Amin is professor of practice at the University of Miami, Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering Department. Prior to entering academia, first at Manhattan College and now at Miami, he had more than 22 years of experience with companies such as Unilever, L’Oréal and ExxonMobil. He has expertise in formulation design, colloids and complex fluids, rheology and tribology.
Yesha is the Knight Foundation Endowed Chair of Data Science and AI at the Institute for Data Science and Computing (IDSC) at the University of Miami, where she also serves as the IDSC Innovation Officer and Head of International Relations. Her research focuses on blockchains, cybersecurity and big data analytics with applications to electronic commerce, climate change and digital healthcare. Yesha has built several successful technology startups—FastFormulator may be another.
Amin and Yesha met at a University of Miami event in 2022 when she gave a talk on artificial intelligence. Her presentation made him realize that AI and machine learning could play a key role in improving and accelerating the product development process.
“The stars were aligned. Yelena had worked in pharma. She could see how to bring this together,” recalled Amin. “AI can help formulators find the ‘hot spots’ in formula that we wouldn’t find even if were conducting tests 24/7. AI and machine learning can find that gold nugget.”
Working with other data scientists, Amin and Yesha discovered predictability in complex formulas and created an algorithm based on their findings. The University of Miami has filed a patent and the pair focused on the best way to commercialize and market their creation. Amin says it will benefit companies in a range of industries, including cosmetics, food, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, paints, inks and coatings.
“All of them are moving toward sustainability, but there is no easy way to get there,” explained Amin. “It is incredibly complex and involves a tremendous number of ingredients.”
All that complexity results in a tremendous number of finished products, too. According to one industry source, more than 30,000 consumer packaged goods are launched every year.
“The concept is to make formulation easier and faster,” said Amin. “You don’t always need new molecules to bring new ideas to market.”
Optimized Formulas
The University of Miami researchers input the structure of the surfactants and polymers in order to identify optimized performance hotspots. Amin explained AI can help identify new formulation space where new microstructures and ingredient interactions can outperform current market products. But the team doesn’t rely on AI alone. They employ a hybrid process that couples machine learning with experimentation and advanced characterization.“There are groups that perform AI modeling, but they don’t have our deep understanding of the science,” insisted Amin.
In addition to its founders, FastFormulator has experienced staff of senior AI/ML engineers and formulation analysts. The University of Miami team uses a hybrid model that starts with AI and is backed by its formulating expertise to create prototype formulas faster than traditional trial-and-error processes. The ultimate goal, says Amin, is to move formulation work onto a robotic platform.
“Benchtop experimental formulation can take months, this can be reduced to almost real time predictive guidance once the models are optimized,” boasted Amin.
Some of the formulation and advanced characterization techniques available at FastFormulator include:
• DLS/Zeta Potential
• Diffusing Wave Spectroscopy
• MS Dispersion Multiscan Analysis
• Optical Tensiometer
• High Sensitivity Rheometer
• Nanoplasmonic Sensor
At the same time, AI can be utilized to create better processes, not just better products. The University of Miami process can help reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and create more sustainable formulas, according to Yesha.
“This is an inflection point for the industry,” she said. “The rules are being rewritten. Products must be reformulated. This is an opportunity to make more sustainable products.”
Once the machine learning model is optimized and refined, companies will be able to license the technology and use it across all of their sites for an annual subscription.
The Chemist's Evolving Role
Artificial intelligence is in the news a lot these days—sometimes for the wrong reasons. More than a few observers predict AI could eliminate many traditional jobs. Amin and Yesha insist that AI won’t derail a chemist’s career; on the contrary, it may enhance it. They told Happi that AI enables chemists to focus on innovation, rather than repetitive work at the bench.“It will create free time for chemists to work smarter and bring real creativity to their work,” said Amin.
Related Content:
Oddity Invests $100 Million To Bring Pharma’s AI-Based Molecule Discovery Technology to Beauty and WellnessHow Beauty Industry Marketers Can Leverage Artificial Intelligence to Create Loyal Customers
Mintel Introduces New Market Intelligence AI