UC Berkeley's disease-detecting E-Nose

The last time we checked in on electronic nose technology, hospitals were using the still-boutique devices for very specialized institutional work such as monitoring nasty bacteria outbreaks. Recent breakthroughs by a company called Nanomix, however, could make E-Noses a standard tool in every patient examination room, with UC Berkeley researchers using the company's tech to design cheap devices that can "sniff out" disease-laden molecules in samples a person's breath. Nanomix's "Sensation" detection platform uses multiple, configurable carbon nanotube-based sensors to instantly provide a reading from a puff or air, although the exact diseases that the battery-powered devices will be programmed to detect have not been announced. We do know that the first application of this tech will probably be for carbon dioxide detection, allowing emergency personnel to immediately determine the efficacy of breathing tubes used to stabilize patients on board an ambulance.

[slyecho @ Apr 13th 2006 8:38AM]

Now we can finally pirate the Smell-O-Vision movies, YAY!

[Clinton @ Apr 13th 2006 10:19AM]

Did anyone else wonder why Jack Bauer was holding a silicon wafer before reading the headline?

[Chris @ Apr 13th 2006 10:43AM]

We finally have a way to prove to people that they have bad breath...oh, and the bird flu.

[brownopher @ Apr 13th 2006 10:45AM]

#2, holy crap I was just about to say that

[Raymond @ Apr 13th 2006 1:55PM]

Could this be used to detect flatulance? because that could be embarrasing...

[Dick Cheese @ Apr 13th 2006 9:56PM]

I hope this can detect gayness

[elementmailman @ Apr 14th 2006 7:24PM]

I agree with #6

[Dave @ Apr 16th 2006 6:14AM]

Perhaps this will eventually be used to replace drug-sniffing or cancer-sniffing dogs