Patent ID: 6843596

Claim:
A method for detecting an effect on a second substance comprising: providing a device, the device comprising a support; a membrane having a first surface and a second surface, the membrane mechanically supported by the support on at least one point on one of the first surface or the second surface, at least one pair of devices, wherein one device of the pair of devices is located in a first region of the first surface of the membrane and the other device of the pair of devices is located in a second region of the first surface of the membrane, wherein the membrane thermally and electrically isolates the first region and the second region, and wherein each device of the pair of devices yields an electrical output signal in response to having an input signal of the thermal type, a first supply for bringing a first substance in thermal contact with the first region, and a second supply for bringing a second substance in thermal contact with the second region, wherein the first substance is separated and thermally isolated from the second substance; providing a first substance in the first region; providing a second substance in the second region; contacting the first substance in the first region and the second substance in the second region with a third substance; and determining whether there is a relative change of the electrical output signals of the device.