Nanosensor Array for Medical Diagnoses
health medicine and biotechnology
Nanosensor Array for Medical Diagnoses (TOP2-169)
A low-power, and compact nanosensor array chip
Overview
NASA has developed an innovative approach to improve the quality and convenience of medical diagnosis, and data transmission for immediate therapy. The new technology uses a network of nanochemical sensors on a silicon chip combined with a monitoring system composed of humidity, temperature, and pressure/flow sensors for real-time chemical and physical properties measurement of human breath for non-invasive and low-cost medical diagnosis. No such technology exists in the market today. Although many research activities are ongoing, NASAs technology is readily available for this application. With a detection range of parts per million (ppm) to parts per billion (ppb) this technology, called a nanosensor array chip, provides a highly-sensitive, low-power, and compact tool for in-situ and real time analysis. It changes the way and time decisions are made to help both patient and medical care provider to minimize their cost, optimize resources, reduce risk, and cut the amount of time needed for conducting a response.
The Technology
Many diseases are accompanied by characteristic odors. Their recognition can provide diagnostic clues, guide the laboratory evaluation, and affect the choice of immediate therapy. The study of the chemical composition of human breath using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS) has shown a correlation between the volatile compounds and the occurrence of certain illnesses. The presence of those specific compounds can provide an indication of physiological malfunction and support the diagnosis of diseases. This condition requires an analytical tool with very high sensitivity for its measurement. A number of volatile compounds, so called biomarkers, are found in breath samples, normally at low parts per billion (ppb) levels. For example, the acetone in the exhaled breath from human with other biomarkers can indicate Type I diabetes. Usually, the concentration of the volatile compounds in human breath is very low and the background relative humidity is high, almost 100%. NASAs invention utilizes an array of chemical sensors combined with humidity, temperature, and pressure for real-time breath measurement to correlate the chemical information in the breath with the state and functioning of different human organs. This tool provides a non-invasive method for fast and accurate diagnosis at the medical point of care or at home. The sensor chip includes multisensors for a comprehensive measurement of chemical composition, temperature, humidity, and pressure/flow rate. The sensor data collected from this chip can be wired or wirelessly transmitted to a computer terminal at the doctors desk or hospital monitoring center. The sensor chip can be connected directly or via Universal serial bus (USB) to a cell phone for data transmission over a long distance and receive an instruction from a doctors office for an immediate therapy.
Benefits
- Detection limit range: ppm to ppb
- Response time in seconds at 300 K
- Reproducible from sensor to sensor
- Low power: milliWatt /sensor
- Humidity effect is linear additive
- Easy integration (2-terminal I/V measurement)
- Sensor chip size is 1x1cm2 with 12 to 96 channels
- Non-invasive
- Low cost
- Fast and accurate
- Multi sensors for comprehensive measurement
- Wired or wireless data transmission over a long distance
Applications
- Medical diagnosis
- Nanotechnology
- Health monitoring
- Homeland security
- Biomedicine
- Aerospace
Similar Results
Systems and methods employing nanomaterial sensors for detecting conditions impacting a Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) profile in breath
The technology involves a sophisticated system designed to detect conditions through the analysis of exhaled breath, utilizing an array of nanomaterial sensors fabricated upon a standard printed circuit board with interdigitated electrodes. These sensors are configured to interact with a sample gas that contains various Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) associated with a variety of biological conditions. Each sensor consists of nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes, composite nanotubes, nanoparticle-doped nanotubes, or polymer-coated nanotubes, all disposed on an electrically conductive structure. These sensors are highly sensitive to specific VOCs at a broad spectrum of concentrations, and each sensor generates a unique measurable electrical signal on interaction with VOCs in the breath that reflects the presence and concentration of specific components in the sample gas. The previously nanosensor diagnosis technology has been further developed to identify 64 specific formulations of nanomaterials that exhibit unique and varying sensitivities to VOCs, which enables unique response signatures to be developed for a wide range of VOCs. A single device may be developed using these principles to detect a variety of health conditions and diseases.
Portable Medical Diagnosis Instrument
The technology utilizes four cutting-edge sensor technologies to enable minimally- or non-invasive analysis of various biological samples, including saliva, breath, and blood. The combination of technologies and sample pathways have unique advantages that collectively provides a powerful analytical capability. The four key technology components include the following: (1) the carbon nanotube (CNT) array designed for the detection of volatile molecules in exhaled breath; (2) a breath condenser surface to isolate nonvolatile breath compounds in exhaled breath; (3) the miniaturized differential mobility spectrometer (DMS) -like device for the detection of volatile and non-volatile molecules in condensed breath and saliva; and (4) the miniaturized circular disk (CD)-based centrifugal microfluidics device that can detect analytes in any liquid sample as well as perform blood cell counts. As an integrated system, the device has two ports for sample entry a mouthpiece for sampling of breath and a port for CD insertion. The breath analysis pathway consists of a CNT array followed by a condenser surface separating liquid and gas phase breath. The exhaled breath condensate is then analyzed via a DMS-like device and the separated gas breath can be analyzed by both CNT sensor array again and by DMS detectors.
Hybrid carbon nanotube-gold nanoparticle composite for Nitric Oxide (NO) detection
A hybrid thin film is fabricated by a simple drop-casting method. Functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with a diameter of ≈15 nm are drop-casted onto a printed circuit board (PCB) substrate equipped with interdigitated electrodes. The addition of AuNPs to the carbon nanotube networked films enhance sensitivity and lower the detection limit to low parts-per-billion (ppb) concentrations. The gold particle to carbon nanotube ratio is optimized to find the optimum gold nanoparticle loading.
The composite films were tested in both air and nitrogen environments across a wide relative humidity range (0-97%), which is suitable for dissolved Nitric Oxide (NO) detection in sea water for oceanographic study and for human breath analysis in medical diagnosis. The sensors exhibited high selectivity, particularly to NO, outperforming other tested gases. Notably, the sensor reliably detected NO at 10 ppb levels with response times within 10 seconds and recovery time around 1 minute, showcasing excellent reproducibility across sensors and operational efficiency within diverse humidity conditions.
Portable Unit for Metabolic Analysis (PUMA)
PUMA represents a major breakthrough in portable metabolic analysis. It is a rugged, compact device that measures human metabolic function at rest, during exercise, in clinical settings, and in extreme environments. Metabolic measurements are a clinically proven method of monitoring cardiovascular health and fitness levels.
The PUMA headgear features NASA-developed sensors that evaluate six key metabolic functions. Specifically, PUMA measures oxygen and carbon dioxide partial pressure in addition to temperature, pressure, airflow, and heart rate. By placing sensors close to the mouth, PUMA can record up to 30 (or more) detailed measurements for each breath. From these measurements, PUMA computes metabolically relevant quantities of oxygen uptake, carbon dioxide output, minute ventilation, respiration rate, and heart rate. With additional software, the device computes heart rhythm, tidal volume, and alveolar and dead-space volumes. A small embedded computer controls and acquires data from all sensors at 10 hertz (Hz), performs calculations, and transmits data wirelessly to a remote computer. The PUMA sensors are low power, stable, and capable of operating in a range of environments, including very high and low pressures as well as high- and low-oxygen environments. This portable device provides real-time measurements that are just as accurate as the large stationary metabolic carts used in hospitals. PUMA can be used not only in clinical settings but also in the extreme/remote environments of space, aviation, underwater, and deep underground. Because it detects real-time dangerous drops in oxygen, it can ensure astronaut cardiovascular health; predict the onset of hypoxia in pilots, divers, and first responders; and advance chronic pulmonary disease monitoring and athletic training.
Wireless Sensor for Pharmaceutical Packaging and Monitoring Applications
The SansEC sensor is an electrically open circuit without electrical connections. Having a device without circuits eliminates a common failure source of electrical systems. It consists of a uniquely designed thin-film electrically conductive geometric pattern that stores energy in both electric and magnetic fields. When wirelessly interrogated from the portable data acquisition system, the sensor becomes electrically active and emits a wireless response. The magnetic field response attributes of frequency, amplitude, and bandwidth of the inductor correspond to the physical property states measured by the sensor. Container damage, temperature, spoilage, or substance level is detected by changes in resonant frequency read by the accompanying magnetic
field data acquisition system. A unique feature of the sensor is its ability to measure more than one physical attribute at the same time. In addition, by eliminating electrical connections, damage to any area of the sensor will not prevent it from being powered or interrogated.
