Showing Spotlights 97 - 104 of 111 in category Sensors, Sensing Applications (newest first):
Advances in biosensing nanotechnology
Researchers have developed a highly sensitive, optical bio-molecule sensor that can distinguish between bio-molecules based on the variation to the light intensity of light due to the change in the path of coupled input light. The variation to the coupled light intensity and path is dependant on the nature of the bio-molecule and the density of the bio-molecules.
Single nanoribbon sensor as an in situ monitor
Nanoribbons, which are attracting much attention due to their well-defined geometry and perfect crystallinity, require complex and expensive equipment to faricate. Researchers in China have succeeded in fabricating a single nanoribbon sensor and demonstrated its use as a potential in situ monitor to track blood glucose levels, suitable for potential use by diabetics.
Towards the nanoscopic electronic nose
The concept of e-noses - electronic devices which mimic the olfactory systems of mammals and insects - is well developed and has become a booming area of research thanks to a better understanding of the reception, signal transduction and odor recognition mechanisms for mammals, combined with achievements in material science, microelectronics and computer science. Researchers have now started replacing the sensing elements in e-noses with nanowires, achieving excellent sensing performance which is comparable or even better compared to the best thin film counterparts.
Carbon nanotube nanothermometers
The oxidation-assisted temperature measurement with carbon nanotube nanothermometers that contain liquid gallium is a novel and reliable method that can be used over a moderate temperature range and can be applied in any environment where air is present. All the other available techniques that are capable to measure temperature at the nanometer scale are limited by either that they are only workable in a very narrow temperature range or that they can only be applied in a special environment.
Performance limits of nanobiosensors
Nanoscale sensors based on silicon nanowires and carbon nanotubes are capable of detecting molecules at ultra low concentrations. The potential applications include early detection of cancer and fast sequencing of genome. However, for these applications, the time taken by the sensor to reach stable response is crucial. This time is dictated by the diffusion of molecules (e.g. cancer markers) through the solution and their subsequent capture at the sensor surface. Researchers at Purdue University show that this response is governed by the geometry of diffusion of the system and that nanobiosensors are capable of detecting bio-molecules at much lower concentration than the classical planar sensors.
A zinc oxide nanocomb biosensor for glucose detection
New research shows that ZnO nanostructures are suitable for electrochemical biosensors. The enzyme used for glucose detection, glucose oxidase, was attached to ZnO nanocombs which resulted in a biosensor that exhibits a high affinity, high sensitivity, and fast response for glucose detection. This simple method of fabricating ZnO based biosensor can be extended to immobilize other enzymes and other bioactive molecules on various 1D metal oxide nanostructures, and form versatile electrodes for biosensor studies.
A novel approach for the design of fluorescent sensors
Researchers in Germany report a novel approach for the design of environmental sensors based on fluorescence interference contrast (FLIC) of semiconductor nanocrystals near a reflecting silicon surface. Their method is based on nanocrystals incorporated into polymer layers grafted onto reflecting surfaces.
Acoustic sensors made from magnetic nanowires
Researchers took inspiration from the packaging and transduction processes of the cochlea and cilia in the inner ear to design acoustic sensors made from nanowires. Specifically, they used nanowires of magnetostrictive materials as artificial cilia to sense acoustic signals. Any acoustic sensor application may benefit from this work.