Systems and methods employing nanomaterial sensors for detecting conditions impacting a Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) profile in breath

The technology involves a sophisticated system designed to detect conditions through the analysis of exhaled breath, utilizing an array of nanomaterial sensors fabricated upon a standard printed circuit board with interdigitated electrodes. These sensors are configured to interact with a sample gas that contains various Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) associated with a variety of biological conditions. Each sensor consists of nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes, composite nanotubes, nanoparticle-doped nanotubes, or polymer-coated nanotubes, all disposed on an electrically conductive structure. These sensors are highly sensitive to specific VOCs at a broad spectrum of concentrations, and each sensor generates a unique measurable electrical signal on interaction with VOCs in the breath that reflects the presence and concentration of specific components in the sample gas. The previously nanosensor diagnosis technology has been further developed to identify 64 specific formulations of nanomaterials that exhibit unique and varying sensitivities to VOCs, which enables unique response signatures to be developed for a wide range of VOCs. A single device may be developed using these principles to detect a variety of health conditions and diseases. NASA Ames had previously developed a nanosensor array that uses a sample of patient breath for medical diagnosis. (See TOP2-169.) However, the specific materials that can be used had not been previously identified. NASA Ames has made further developments to enhance the capabilities of the technology to detect a variety of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). A highly sensitive sensor array featuring 64 chemically sensitive nanomaterials can accurately identify various health and biological conditions, such as detection of Covid-19 in humans. The technology can also provide a non-invasive approach for sensing biological conditions in dairy and animal husbandry. 64 distinct sensing nanomaterials, including nanotubes, composite nanotubes, nanoparticle-decorated (doped) nanotubes, and polymer-coated nanotubes, having the greatest sensitivity to VOCs in concentrations as low as 2 to 5 ppb have been identified, and exemplary formulations for each identified nanomaterial have been developed.