Building a Better Electronic Nose

Nov-26-12 A team from UC Santa Barbara has used a combination of nanotechnology and microfluidics to create a highly efficient scent detector inspired by the anatomy of a dog’s nose.

The detector, which is the size of a fingernail, includes a network of microscale channels that pick up the scent molecules and increase their concentration by up to six orders of magnitude. Nanoparticles within the channels amplify the spectral signal of the molelcules, and that signal is then compared a computer base of spectral signatures for real-time identification.

Although the device was built with a focus on identifying explosives, it could also be used to detect disease or to indicate spoiled food.

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[GIZMAG.COM]
[UC SANTA BARBARA]

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