Going Further than CO Sensors

As was reported by Security Info Watch, researchers from NIMS and MIT in Japan and the U.S., respectively, have developed a new, extremely low-cost way to monitor for toxic gas. The best part about it is that the sensor that they have developed, could potentially interact with smart phones, alerting individuals if toxic gas is in the area.

The sensor is made up of a carbon nanotube coated with polymer. The polymer coating breaks down in the presence of gas allowing the carbon nanotube, which by itself is highly conductive, to transmit a signal. The nanotube would transmit the signal to a smartphone by either being connected to a chip that would actually complete the transmission, or by connecting to the smartphone itself. Additionally, the sensor can, and will, connect to other devices in order to provide a more wide-spread system for alerting citizens.

This innovation mirrors one that we discussed in a previous article titled A Different Type of Alarm System-Bushfire Alarms. In that article we explored how a team of researchers was designing a low-cost, solar powered system to monitor and hopefully prevent bushfires. In both cases, researchers are finding very low-cost alternatives to traditional alarm/monitoring systems that save lives. The low-cost characteristic is important as it can drastically shape the implementation process of such systems. The hope is that as the cost decreases, more systems can be put in use and more lives can be saved.

For a more detailed explanation on how the sensors actually work, you can view the article on securityinfowatch.com.