How does your computer smell?

Researchers create a highly sensitive biohybrid olfactory sensor

15-Jan-2021 - A keen sense of smell is a powerful ability shared by many organisms. However, it has proven difficult to replicate by artificial means. Researchers combined biological and engineered elements to create what is known as a biohybrid component. Their volatile organic compound sensor can effectively ...

Inspired by nature: Scientists have developed a nanopore-microchip

01-Oct-2019 - Medical professionals and environment analysts would like to have microchips that measure substances directly on site. Scientists at TU Darmstadt have developed and patented a system based on nanopores with broad potential. Anyone wishing to use laboratory readings for diagnosing a disorder or ...

Artificial and biological cells work together as mini chemical factories

16-Mar-2018 - Researchers have fused living and non-living cells for the first time in a way that allows them to work together, paving the way for new applications. The system, created by a team from Imperial College London, encapsulates biological cells within an artificial cell. Using this, researchers can ...

Graphene on toast, anyone?

15-Feb-2018 - Rice University scientists who introduced laser-induced graphene (LIG) have enhanced their technique to produce what may become a new class of edible electronics. The Rice lab of chemist James Tour, which once turned Girl Scout cookies into graphene, is investigating ways to write graphene ...

Single-molecule graphene switches bring minute electronic devices a step closer

29-Nov-2016 - Researchers have discovered how to control molecules attached to graphene, paving the way for tiny biological sensors and devices to hold information. Graphene is a material made of a single sheet of carbon atoms in a honeycomb arrangement. Because of its unique electrical conductivity, graphene ...