Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur Researcher have introduced the first “Make in India” human breath sensor designed to measure alcohol levels and detect respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The device, utilizing metal oxides and nano silicon at room temperature, primarily targets alcohol detection in cases of drunk driving.
However, with adjustments in sensing layers and the incorporation of an array of sensors for an Electronic Nose, along with data analytics, the sensor proves versatile for characterizing various diseases. These include asthma, COPD, diabetic ketoacidosis, sleep apnea, and cardiac arrest, where volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in a person’s breath are monitored.
VOCs represent a diverse group of organic chemicals that can evaporate into the air, commonly found in different products and environments. Unlike current bulky or time-consuming breath analyzers, this new sensor operates at room temperature, functioning as a plug-and-play solution.
Dr. Saakshi Dhanekar, Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at IIT Jodhpur, highlighted the potential of this technology. “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,” she stated. Additionally, the sensor’s output can be connected to a Raspberry Pi, and the data can be transmitted to a doctor or a mobile device.
The technology underlying this device involves an electronic nose with a room-temperature operable heterostructure, combining metal oxide with nano silicon. As the sensors interact with alcohol in the sample, they exhibit a change in resistance proportional to the alcohol concentration. Machine learning algorithms process the data collected from the sensor array, identifying patterns of different breath components and segregating alcohol from the mixture of volatile organic compounds. This innovative research has been published in IEEE Sensors Letters.
-Rashmi Kumari
