Overview

• The optoelectronic nose comprises a 12×3 paper array of silica microparticles coated with 36 dyes that produce unique color fingerprints for each chemical.
• Researchers tested the sensor against 12 toxic gases, including chlorosarin, and recorded distinct color-change patterns that reliably identified each compound and its concentration.
• Fabrication costs average about $0.20 per array, offering a scalable, low-cost alternative to traditional electronic detection systems.
• The study was peer-reviewed and published on July 21 in ACS Sensors, underscoring the device’s scientific validation.
• Funded by India’s Defence Research & Development Organization, the team is now engineering a handheld prototype for field testing in environmental and security settings.