GE Global Research has made what it says is a significant technological achievement in the development of a sensor capable of detecting 'chemicals of interest' at low concentrations.
Working with the Technical Support Working Group, Quantum Magnetics and KemSENSE, the company has used its RFID technology to develop battery free RFID tags coated with a sensing material that responds to explosives and oxidisers. The tag, which can be deployed on a variety of surfaces, will change its electronic properties in the presence of such chemicals and send an alert to a reader.
Sensors which can detect ultra-trace levels of chemicals could also have application in industries beyond security. According to GE, they could be used to detect gas leaks degradation of electrical isolation and bacterial growth in buildings. In healthcare, the sensors could be used to ensure that surfaces have been cleaned properly.
Radislav Potyrailo, a principal scientist at GE Global Research, said: "In airports today, bulky, stationary desktop systems typically screen for explosives. Suspicious surfaces are swabbed and analysed, consuming substantial time, space and power. Compared to a conventional desktop detector, our system is 300 times smaller and reduces weight and power use 100 fold. It simplifies detection by using an individual sensor, rather than relying on arrays of multiple sensors."
Author
Graham Pitcher
Source: www.newelectronics.co.uk