NEW DELHI: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur researchers have developed the first ‘Make in India’ human breath sensor based on metal oxides and nano silicon operating at room temperature.
The device's main function is to measure alcohol content in the breath in drunk and driving cases.
The technology is also very useful for the detection of diseases such as asthma, diabetic ketoacidosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sleep apnea, and cardiac arrest, where the person's breath volatile organic compounds are monitored.
It was felt that there was a greater need for the development of a quick, affordable, non-invasive health monitoring device, given the growing concerns about the adverse impact of air pollution on human health and the environment.
While the existing sensors are based on fuel cell-based technology or metal oxide technology, the researchers thought to take the challenge and take up the work and develop a breath VOC sensor whose cost will be less than the existing fuel cell technology-based device.
In similar lines, the research team has developed a Breath monitoring sensor based on partially reduced graphene oxide.
A similar electronic nose can be utilized for volatile organic compounds (VOC) monitoring in the environment as well as for the detection and measurement of other breath biomarkers for disease by modifying the sensors and machine learning algorithms.
VOCs are a diverse group of organic chemicals that can evaporate into the air and are commonly found in various products and environments.
The current breath analysers are either bulky or require a long preparation time and a heater.
This adds up to the power consumption of the device and a long waiting time.
The developed sensor operates at room temperature and is like a plug-and-play, according to a statement.
The technology behind this device is an electronic nose with room-temperature operable heterostructure (metal oxide with nano silicon).
“The sensors react with the alcohol in the sample and depict a change in resistance. This change is proportional to the concentration of alcohol in the sample. Also, the data collected from this sensor array is processed using machine learning algorithms for identifying the patterns of different components of breath and segregating alcohol from the mixture of volatile organic compounds,” it added.
According to Dr Saakshi Dhanekar, Associate Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Jodhpur, “Continued research and development in these directions could lead to the practical implementation of breath diagnostics in various fields, ranging from healthcare and wellness to wearable technology and IoT applications.
“The output of the sensors can be connected to Raspberry Pi and the data can be sent to a doctor or phone.”
She further added, “My start-up‘ Sensekriti Technology Solutions Pvt Ltd’ does innovation for the benefit of the society. The team sees the challenge in research as an opportunity and solves it by using three tools: creativity, perseverance, and exceptional teamwork.”