New artificial ‘nose’ rapidly detects damaged fruit and spoiled meat
Discover how the Ant-nose revolutionizes VOC detection with a single antenna sensor, offering high accuracy and wide-ranging applications.

The Ant-nose transforms VOC detection by combining graphene oxide sensitivity with antenna technology, achieving unparalleled accuracy in a compact design. (CREDIT:
Home Orchard Education Center)
The challenge of detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) has significant implications across industries, from environmental monitoring to healthcare. VOCs are gaseous substances often released by plants, industrial processes, or decaying organic matter, and their identification can indicate food spoilage, industrial leaks, or even disease.
Historically, this detection has relied on complex electronic noses (e-noses) comprising numerous sensors. However, a groundbreaking innovation has simplified this approach, introducing a single-antenna sensor—the "Ant-nose."
Published in the journal, Sensors and Actuators B Chemical, the Ant-nose employs an antenna sensor coated with graphene oxide, a highly sensitive nanomaterial.
This design eliminates the need for multiple sensors, drastically reducing complexity, size, and power consumption. The antenna sensor not only detects VOCs but also maintains stable communication, paving the way for integration into existing infrastructure.
Michael Cheffena, a telecommunications professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), highlights the potential of this innovation: “By giving antennas sensor functions, the existing infrastructure can be used in new applications.”
The Ant-nose transmits radio signals across various frequencies, analyzing reflections to detect VOCs. Each compound creates a unique "fingerprint," allowing precise identification.
Unlike traditional systems requiring hundreds of sensors with distinct coatings, this single device achieves comparable performance with a 96.7% classification accuracy.
The process of coating the Ant-nose involves using a graphene oxide/Nafion composite. Graphene oxide serves as a highly sensitive material, while Nafion reduces charge transfer resistance, enhancing detection capabilities.
The coating process involves spray application under controlled conditions, forming a thin, uniform sensing layer. This innovative approach ensures that the sensor remains cost-effective and efficient.
Isomers, compounds with identical molecular formulas but different structures, have posed significant challenges for VOC detection technologies. The Ant-nose excels in identifying these "chemical twins," outperforming many advanced e-noses.
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“Even the most sophisticated systems struggle with isomers,” says Yu Dang, a PhD researcher at NTNU. “Our sensor performs exceptionally well, even with these challenging compounds.”
In testing, the Ant-nose successfully distinguished six VOC types, including pairs of isomers such as butanol and 2-butanol, achieving high accuracy. By leveraging machine learning techniques like eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), the sensor’s performance is further enhanced.
Data augmentation methods, including the Synthetic Minority Over-sampling Technique (SMOTE), were employed to address limitations posed by smaller datasets, ensuring robust classification and prediction.
For each VOC type, the Ant-nose measures changes in microwave frequencies across a range of concentrations. These changes are analyzed to create multidimensional fingerprints, effectively differentiating between compounds. Principal component analysis (PCA) further refines the data, reducing noise and identifying the most informative features.
Using this streamlined data, the Ant-nose achieves nearly perfect classification and regression accuracy, even when tested under challenging conditions.
The Ant-nose’s versatility extends beyond laboratory settings. It has been tested on damaged fruits and aging meats, demonstrating its potential in food safety applications. By adjusting detection algorithms, researchers envision its use in healthcare, identifying VOC biomarkers for diseases like cancer and diabetes.
“Trained dogs can detect disease-related changes in VOCs. Our sensor operates on the same principle but requires no training,” explains Dang.
This capability has significant implications for medical diagnostics. VOCs are emitted by the human body and can serve as early indicators of diseases. For instance, cancer and metabolic disorders produce distinct VOC profiles detectable by the Ant-nose. Unlike traditional diagnostic tools, this sensor offers a non-invasive, cost-effective alternative.
The sensor’s robustness in varying environmental conditions adds to its practicality. Although higher humidity levels slightly increase measurement uncertainty, the device remains reliable under moderate conditions. This resilience, coupled with its stable communication capabilities, ensures its effectiveness in real-world applications.
In agriculture, the Ant-nose can monitor plant health by detecting VOC emissions from crops. Early identification of stress-related compounds allows farmers to take timely actions, improving yield and reducing losses. Similarly, the sensor’s ability to detect spoilage gases makes it invaluable in the food industry, ensuring quality control throughout the supply chain.
The Ant-nose represents a significant leap in VOC detection technology. By integrating sensing and communication functions into a single device, it aligns with the growing demands of the Internet of Things (IoT). Applications range from environmental monitoring and food safety to healthcare and industrial diagnostics.
Unlike traditional e-noses requiring extensive calibration and maintenance, the Ant-nose offers a streamlined, cost-effective solution. Its compact design and minimal power requirements make it ideal for large-scale deployment, such as in wireless sensor networks. This breakthrough heralds a new era in VOC detection, simplifying processes without compromising accuracy.
The Ant-nose also demonstrates exceptional potential for research. Its ability to differentiate between isomers can advance studies in chemistry and material sciences. The sensor’s scalability allows for customization, catering to specific industries or research needs.
For instance, integrating the Ant-nose into wearable technology could enable real-time monitoring of air quality or personal health indicators.
Furthermore, the development of this sensor highlights the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration. Combining expertise in telecommunications, materials science, and machine learning has resulted in a device that redefines VOC detection. This collaborative approach can inspire similar innovations across other scientific fields.
The Ant-nose’s impact is further amplified by its ability to maintain communication functionality while sensing. This dual capability eliminates the need for additional infrastructure, reducing costs and simplifying deployment. Its integration into existing systems, such as smartphones or industrial monitoring equipment, is seamless, enhancing accessibility and usability.
As the demand for efficient, accurate VOC detection grows, the Ant-nose sets a new standard. Its innovative design and broad applicability make it a transformative tool, poised to revolutionize industries and improve quality of life.
Note: Materials provided above by The Brighter Side of News. Content may be edited for style and length.
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