Future watch
Developing next-generation sensing technology Altered Carbon is on track to create the world’s first commercially viable, affordable e-nose.
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umankind has successfully managed to digitise sight, hearing and touch, and now, thanks to sensor company Altered Carbon, is on the brink of being able to capture and record another sense – smell.
K9sense is the first chemical gas sensor of its kind, utilising graphene ink to create the olfactory chip. Using its unique chemistry, Altered Carbon has been able to create an accurate, responsive and ultra low power gas sensor. The first generation of the K9sense has surpassed expectations, displaying high performance sensitivity in the parts per billion range. The team is confident that with advanced digital circuitry and further R&D, future generations of the sensor range could soon rival the detection capabilities of dogs. Altered Carbon HQ is situated in the Bristol Robotics Laboratory, located at the University of West England (UWE), a vibrant centre for innovative technology development. The team has professional links to the Health Tech Hub, also based at UWE. Teams at the Health Tech Hub facility have been working towards harnessing the medical benefits of such powerful sensor technology, with a key focus on the potential early detection of various diseases. Testing of the sensors has been carried out by world leaders in physical measurement, known as The National Physical Laboratory (NPL). NPL is heavily involved in developing international standards for graphene and the characterisation methods used. The partnership provides benefits for both parties, who are working together on breakthrough discoveries.
continues to negotiate further R&D goals with like-minded companies across the globe. Global partnerships, innovative thinking and flexible development have allowed the company and its relatively small team to make big strides in a short space of time. In a world becoming increasingly connected, investment in SMART technology in homes and cities is a logical step. This next-generation sensing technology provides the data needed to learn how we can change and improve our surroundings. However, Altered Carbon acknowledges that hardware alone cannot provide the complete solution. The company has developed a unique sensor platform, providing a universal plug and play system that even a technophobe could use and benefit from. Their AI and deep learning algorithms will also help analyse big data sets to constantly improve their e-nose throughout its lifetime. The aim is to create a unique digital code for each smell (a ‘smell-print’) which can be identified by the intelligent sensor. The team is working closely with several companies looking to develop the sensors with particular issues in mind. Discussions are underway with companies across the UK in industries
“A dog’s sense of smell is 100 times more sensitive than humans, enabling them to detect all sorts of changes in the environment, from changes in weather to changes in the state of the human body. Imagine having a chip that mimics this ability but is also able to explain what it is sensing without barking.” Ali Rohafza, CEO Altered Carbon
including fresh food transportation and safety, animal welfare, environmental monitoring, explosives and narcotics detection, and advanced farming.
Altered Carbon sent a representative to South Korea as part of a DIT trade envoy and
“A dog’s sense of smell is 100 times more sensitive than humans” www.altered-carbon.com
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