sensing – TechConnect Briefs

Flexible integrated photonics: shedding light into the flexible electronics toolkit

Li L., Lin H., Lin H., Geiger S., Zerdoum A., Jia X., Michon J., Du Q., Smith C., Novak S., Richardson K., Qiao S., Lu N., Musgraves J.D., Hu J., Gu T., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, US

While flexible electronics has been a well-established field with several decades of research and development under the belt, flexible integrated photonics is a nascent technology that has only started to burgeon in the past few [...]

Harnessing the resistive-elastic behavior of novel CNT-graphene hybrid foams for practical sensing applications

Wolmarans F., Van H.H., Li S.J., Liu T., Liu T., Zhang M., Florida State University, US

Carbon nanotube (CNT) foam and aerogels hold promise in the area of strain sensors because of their resistive-elastic behavior under compressive strain. To date one of the largest obstacles in the area of CNT foam [...]

Free-Surface Microfluidics: Exploring New Actuation and Sensing Methods

Yu G., Lei N., Chen X., Xue W., Xu J., Xue W., Washington State University, US

Unlike traditional microchannel-based microfluidics, free-surface microfluidics features no channel, ease to clean, simple design fabrication and operation, as well as external access to the samples. It has been proven that free-surface droplets can be actuated [...]

Ultrafine Sensing Using Carbon Nanotube Arrays

Korach C.S., Cao C., Anger R., Chang S.-H., Kao I., Kukta R.V., Stony Brook University, US

Arrays of Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) have shown the ability to react as foam-like structures and display local buckling within the bulk. The arrays, or turfs, are high aspect ratio CNT fibers that extend up to [...]

Interaction between Volatile Organic Compounds and Functional Monomers in Molecularly Imprinted Materials

Luga C., Ortíz E., Noreña L., Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, MX

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have been playing an increasingly important role in volatile organic compound (VOC) sensing for air quality control. The unique feature of these materials is their biomimetic molecular recognition functionality. Theoretical chemistry [...]

Interaction between Volatile Organic Compounds and Functional Monomers in Molecularly Imprinted Materials

Luga C., Ortíz E., Noreña L., Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, MX

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have been playing an increasingly important role in volatile organic compound (VOC) sensing for air quality control. The unique feature of these materials is their biomimetic molecular recognition functionality. Theoretical chemistry [...]

Weak Magnetic Fields Sensing Using Soft Ferrite Nanoparticles and MEMS

Lyshevski S.E., Rochester Institute of Technology, US

We perform the feasibility analysis of sensing weak magnetic fields by using soft ferrite nanoparticles embedded in molecular complexes. The sensing mechanisms are based on the deflection of molecular complexes and induced strain due to [...]

Printed sensor and liquid actuation on natural fiber based substrate

Saarinen J.J., Ihalainen P., Määttänen A., Bollström R., Peltonen J., Abo Akademi University, FI

Recently we have developed a new biobased substrate for printed functionality that, compared to the conventional plastic films, is recyclable and renewable based on natural fibers. Inkjet printed transistor functionality has already been realized and [...]

Portable FRET Sensing of Proteins, Hormones, and Toxins Using DNA Aptamers and Quantum Dots

Jackson G.W., Strych U., Frank E., Willson R.C., Ballerstadt R., McNichols R.J., BioTex, Inc., US

There is an urgent need to develop methods and devices that make the monitoring of any compound of interest in the public water system more reliable, more sensitive and more economical. We are developing a [...]

An integrated NMR/nanosensor system for sensitive detection of environmental toxins and harmful microbes

Perez J.M., Fries D.P., Hickman J.J., University of Central Florida, US

The use of nanoparticles and NMR detection technologies has lead to significant improvements in sensitivity. Nanoparticles have many useful optical and electronic properties derived from their small size. When coupled to affinity ligands, these materials [...]