At ECUST, the team faced a familiar challenge. Their workflows relied heavily on offline sampling and analysis. While these methods provided valuable information, they introduced a fundamental limitation: delay. By the time a sample was taken and analyzed, the system had already changed.
Critical transitions, such as the moment when crystals first form, or when growth mechanisms shift, could not be observed directly. Instead, they had to be inferred after the fact.
This created several obstacles. Research efficiency slowed as experiments had to be repeated under slightly different conditions. Process understanding remained incomplete, with key mechanisms hidden between sampling points. At the same time, essential data such as pH, weight, and moisture existed in isolation, disconnected from the evolving crystallization process.
The result was a fragmented picture of a highly complex system. To move forward, the team needed to see the process as it happened.
