This devise uses a piezoelectric crystal with an electrode on one end that generates 500-megahertz ultrasound waves on the surface of the crystal. An electrode on the other end picks up these waves. Chemicals from the chromatography unit are absorbed on the surface of the detector crystal, which causes a small change in the tone arriving at the detector electrode. This change indicates how much of the chemical is present. According to Ken Zeiger, who manages the production of the zNose, it has already proved itself among California winemakers by sniffing out trichloroanisole, a chemical emitted by moldy corks that makes wine taste musty.
Food producers use people to sniff their products and try to find problems.
The sensor could do the same job better with more consistent results, and could also detect odors too faint for human noses to pick up. Archives - Archives of past weeks' Daily Selected News Stories. All Rights Reserved. All other copyrights remain property of their respective owners.