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.”
