While other available sensors detect a range of chemicals, from explosives to bad food, nearly all suffer from high numbers of false positives, which trigger an alarm when there is no problem and limit their use. The key to the eNose, notes Lee, is its high selectivity, which makes it more accurate and triggers fewer false alarms. The researchers also note the eNose could be used for more everyday tasks, such as matching food with wine or detecting peanuts in food for children who could die from a peanut allergy. Wine, explosives, peanuts -- all contain volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, that are constantly released into the air. Our noses, and the eNose, detect them. Anything that releases VOCs -- in other words, anything with an odor -- the eNose could theoretically be designed to detect. But national security comes first, say the developers of eNose. "Achieving chemical selectivity has been a major challenge, especially for detection of small molecules such as TNT in vapor," said Thomas Thundat, a scientist at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory who develops miniature sensors that detect explosives. Thundat estimates that it will be two to three years before the technology is widely used. "Introducing inexpensive sensors that can be mass produced will cut down the terrorist threats," said Thundat. "Right now terrorists have a huge economic advantage." Related Links: |
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