Category: Sensors

Guiseppe Strangi and Case Western colleagues have developed a highly sensitive optical sensor, based on nanostructured metamaterials.  The researchers claim that is is 1 million times more sensitive than current sensors, and capable of identifying a single lightweight molecule in a highly dilute solution.  This could dramatically improve the detection of cancer and other diseases.

If doctors could detect a single molecule of an enzyme produced by circulating cancer cells, significantly earlier diagnosis is possible, which could dramatically improve one’s prognosis.

According to Strangi:”Very early, most circulating tumor cells express proteins of a very low molecular weight, less than 500 Daltons. These proteins are usually too small and in too low a concentration to detect with current test methods, yielding false negative results. With this platform, we’ve detected proteins of 244 Daltons, which should enable doctors to detect cancers earlier–we don’t know how much earlier yet.”

Wearable Tech + Digital Health San Francisco – April 5, 2016 @ the Mission Bay Conference Center

NeuroTech San Francisco – April 6, 2016 @ the Mission Bay Conference Center

Wearable Tech + Digital Health NYC – June 7, 2016 @ the New York Academy of Sciences

NeuroTech San Francisco – June 8, 2016 @ the New York Academy of Sciences

Chris Probert and University of Liverpool and UWE Bristol colleagues are creating a test that uses gas chromatography to “smell” prostrate cancer in urine.  If proven accurate, the test might be able to be used instead of current invasive diagnostic procedures, at an earlier stage.

155 men were tested. 58 were diagnosed with prostate cancer, 24 with bladder cancer and 73 with hematuria or poor stream without cancer.  The sensor successfully identified patterns of volatile compounds that allow classification of urine in patients with urological cancers.

Urine samples are inserted into the  “Odoreader” and measured using algorithms.  A 30 meter column enables the urine compounds to travel through it at different rate. The algorithm detects cancer by reading the patterns.

Wearable Tech + Digital Health San Francisco – April 5, 2016 @ the Mission Bay Conference Center

NeuroTech San Francisco – April 6, 2016 @ the Mission Bay Conference Center

Wearable Tech + Digital Health NYC -June 7, 2016 @ the New York Academy of Sciences

NeuroTech NYC – June 8, 2016 @ the New York Academy of Sciences

Tokyo University’s Takao Someya and Harvard’s Zhigang Suo are developing thin, bendable, pressure sensitive, nanofiber sensors that could be be incorporated into gloves to detect breast tumors.

The 1.9 inch square sheet has 144  pressure measuring locations, and can detect pressure even when twisted.  Many researchers are developing flexible pressure sensors, but they are vulnerable when bent and twisted.

According to  Someya, “Sensitive human fingers of a veteran doctor may be able to find a small tumor, but such perceived sensation cannot be measured. The digitization of the sensations means that they could be shared with other doctors who could theoretically experience the same sensations as the physician who performed the examination.”

Wearable Tech + Digital Health San Francisco – April 5, 2016 @ the Mission Bay Conference Center

NeuroTech San Francisco – April 6, 2016 @ the Mission Bay Conference Center

Wearable Tech + Digital Health NYC – June 7, 2016 @ the New York Academy of Sciences

NeuroTech NYC – June 8, 2016 @ the New York Academy of Sciences