Multi-Analyte, Wearable Chemical Nanosensor for Warfighter Physiological Status Monitor (WPSM)

There is a large unmet need for low-power sensor systems. This is not due to a lack of transducers, for there are many physical properties of a molecule or nanostructure that can be harnessed to perform the basic sensing task. The absence is due to problems in integrating science with technology into a small, portable, packageable scale. While it is relatively easy for the instrument designer to incorporate capabilities to correct for zero-point drift, changing background matrix, or shifting environmental factors into a macroscopic analytical device, it is difficult to build such functions into a micro-scale device without significant power budget or other design penalties. This proposal aims to add such sophisticated functions into a small, low-power package using porous-silicon technology and to integrate this package into a body-worn, wireless sensor-system. The specific goal is to build a photonic material that acts as a low-power sensor for a broad class of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) while displaying a relative immunity towards changes in relative humidity.