Sensor with Interferent Vapor Referencing

Unmet Need
Continuous monitoring of harmful gases and vapors is the best form of preventive care against air hazards. Residential areas, commercial buildings, schools, and healthcare facilities are required to have such systems in place in case dangerous air pollutants are introduced. Air quality in medical facilities is especially important: poor air quality can exacerbate symptoms of patients/ cause complications and increase risk of contamination or breakdown. Current monitoring systems often lack the ability to distinguish low concentrations of air hazards in the presence of overwhelming vapors. Water vapor (humidity) is a particularly common high concentration interferent. In cases where industrial or vehicular emissions are prevalent, organic vapors can also be high concentration interferents. Thus, it is desirable to produce vapor-sensitive monitoring system with improved selectivity for low-concentration vapors of interest.
 
Technology Overview
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University recently developed a vapor sensing circuit element capable of identifying vapors in low concentrations in the presence of overwhelming interference. The disclosed invention is also capable of measuring the level of interference of other vapors to derive in depth information about the air composition the circuit is exposed to. If placed in a semiconductor, the new circuit element is able to be customized to provide any kind of vapor sensing mechanism for a detection of interest. Such flexibility and accuracy would provide superior monitoring of airborne hazards to current monitoring systems that have been previously integrated.
 
Stage of Development
The inventor has internally published measurements as proof of concept that correspond to the identification of various dangerous vapors using the invented method. At this time, other detection standards are being developed to bring the invention to a commercial state. A patent has been filed for the circuit element to protect its identification of all possible vapors due to its novelty compared to other methods.
 
Publications
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