An artificial “nose” is being trained to detect buried landmines. David Walt
and his colleagues at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, are teaching a
portable device to identify 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT), a vapour given off as TNT
breaks down in landmines (Environmental Science and Technology, vol 35,
p 3193). Walt’s device relies on seven polymer-based sensors containing dyes
that fluoresce when they absorb organic molecules. Working together, the sensors
yield a “fingerprint” that is unique to each chemical. Walt’s team programs the
detector’s computers to recognise DNT. “Once you’ve trained it, the pattern is
stored in the computer memory and recognised in the same way as we recognise a
smell,” says Walt.
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
91ɫÇéƬ
Less than 4 minutes of vigorous exercise a day could halve your dementia risk
News
91ɫÇéƬ
Parkinson’s may be driven by ‘vicious cycle’ that disrupts brain waste drainage
News
Space
Hubble Space Telescope is falling to Earth – should NASA save it?
News
Space
A robot called GIMLI will explore a lunar cave for a future moon base
91ɫÇéƬ
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles