Wearable autonomous microsystem with electrochemical gas sensor array for real-time health and safety monitoring

Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2012:2012:503-6. doi: 10.1109/EMBC.2012.6345978.

Abstract

Airborne pollution and explosive gases threaten human health and occupational safety, therefore generating high demand for a wearable autonomous multi-analyte gas sensor system for real-time environmental monitoring. This paper presents a system level solution through synergistic integration of sensors, electronics, and data analysis algorithms. Electrochemical sensors featuring ionic liquids were chosen to provide low-power room-temperature operation, rapid response, high sensitivity, good selectivity, and a long operating life with low maintenance. The system utilizes a multi-mode electrochemical instrumentation circuit that combines all signal condition functions within a single microelectronics chip to minimize system cost, size and power consumption. Embedded sensor array signal processing algorithms enable gas classification and concentration estimation within a real-world mixture of analytes. System design and integration methodologies are described, and preliminary results are shown for a first generation SO(2) sensor and a thumb-drive sized prototype system.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Air Pollutants / analysis*
  • Algorithms
  • Computer Systems
  • Electrochemical Techniques / instrumentation
  • Environmental Monitoring / instrumentation*
  • Environmental Monitoring / statistics & numerical data
  • Equipment Design
  • Explosive Agents / analysis
  • Humans
  • Sulfur Dioxide / analysis

Substances

  • Air Pollutants
  • Explosive Agents
  • Sulfur Dioxide