Miniaturized and ultra low-power thermoelectric gas sensors for carbon monoxide monitoring

There is a growing demand for low-cost and low-power gas sensors for use in mobile devices including smart phones and wearables. Currently, there is no technological solution available in the market. We proposed to tackle this by engineering an innovative product for carbon monoxide detection. Carbon monoxide is often a by-product of fuel combustion, however, it is extremely dangerous because of its toxicity and lack of taste or smell. The sensing devices will be produced using the same technology employed for producing camera and calculator processors. In this innovative approach, we will be able to detect the temperature changes due to the minuscule amount of heat produced by the chemical reaction between carbon monoxide and a sensing material. At the end of the project we will produce a demonstrator module which can be connected to a smartphone for displaying carbon monoxide concentration and that will make our homes safer.