Peratech thinks printable electronic sensors of volatile compounds could find their way into textiles.
Thin nose: Peratech’s VOC-sensing film (the small round gray area on right side of this testing equipment) could be integrated into clothing or onto paper.Peratech
A U.K. company says its highly pressure-sensitive material could be used to integrate an “electronic nose” into paper or clothing.
Peratech‘s sensor rapidly detects volatile organic compounds (VOCs)—gases in our surrounding environment that are produced by a wide variety of sources, everything from household paints to a person’s own skin. Many do not have an odor, but an electronic sensor could alert a user to the presence of harmful chemicals or perhaps indicate that something is off-kilter with a user’s health. Peratech’s approach follows a long history of attempts to build portable and sensitive electronic noses, but the company claims its technology makes for a faster sniffer that produces a much larger response signal (change in electric charge). Furthermore, its sensors can be a few microns thick, broadening potential applications. [read more]